WASH

Background:

My name is Mia Sahar Gul, I am 52 years old, and I live with my family of fourteen members. For many years, the lack of clean and safe drinking water shaped every aspect of our daily lives. We depended mainly on surface water, which was unsafe and difficult to access.

Fetching water was a daily burden, mostly carried by women and children who walked long distances over uneven paths carrying heavy containers. Tragically, our community experienced a painful incident when a young girl slipped while collecting water and sustained serious injuries. At the same time, contaminated water caused frequent cases of diarrhea and waterborne diseases, particularly among children. Many families could not afford proper medical treatment, leaving us in constant fear.

Objectives:

Our situation began to change when the engineering team from the Rural Rehabilitation Association for Afghanistan (RRAA) visited our village. Following a detailed assessment, our village was selected for a solar-powered water supply pipe scheme.

With the financial support of DRA-AFJR and the leadership of Cordaid, RRAA constructed a ground reservoir with a storage capacity of 30,000 liters. The project provided house-to-house water connections through 40 stand taps, benefiting 147 families. In addition, RRAA conducted hygiene promotion sessions and distributed hygiene kits to 200 households.

Impact & Success:

Today, we have continuous access to clean drinking water right near our homes, eliminating our dependence on unsafe surface water. Waterborne diseases have sharply decreased, women are no longer exposed to physical danger, and children now have more time to attend school and focus on their education.

This project has not only provided us with water; it has restored our health, dignity, and peace of mind. On behalf of myself and all residents, I sincerely thank Cordaid and RRAA. We hope such life-saving initiatives will continue so that other communities can also be protected from water-related hardship.