Water Harvesting
June 2024
June 14, 2024, The Journey Begins
June 14, 2024, will be etched in our memories forever. It was a day of joy, excitement, and hope. Our team woke up at the crack of dawn, ready to embark on a journey to Buzaniro Village. The mission: to deliver building materials for the construction of 50 more rainwater harvesting systems.
By 8:00 AM, our truck was loaded with wood, metal roofing, buckets and other materials. The drive was far from smooth, as we navigated the bumpy road, sharp curves and dusty terrain. But our spirits were high, fueled by the knowledge that we were about to make a real difference in people's lives.
A Warm Welcome
After a 2.5-hour journey, we arrived in Buzaniro Village. The warm smiles and eager faces of the locals greeted us. They had been waiting anxiously for our arrival, and their excitement was palpable. We were warmly welcomed by the local council members and the beneficiaries, who couldn't hide their joy.
As we began to unload the materials, more than 160 villagers gathered around us. One of the beneficiaries, an elderly woman, approached us with tears in her eyes and her voice trembling. "Thank you for bringing water to our doorstep. My grandchildren will no longer have to walk for hours to fetch water."
Another villager, a young mother, shared her struggles of fetching water while carrying her baby on her back. "This project is a blessing to our community," she said. "We will no longer suffer from diseases from dirty water."
Hygiene Training and Dispersing Materials
We conducted a comprehensive hygiene training session, educating the beneficiaries on proper water handling, storage, and sanitation practices. We emphasized the importance of maintaining cleanliness and demonstrated effective handwashing techniques. The villagers actively participated, asking questions and sharing their concerns. Most of the participants had never before received hygiene education.
After the session, the families carried their supplies to their homes. Buzaniro is dispersed and hilly so many families had to walk 30-45 minutes to bring their supplies home.
June 21, 2024, Building the Water Tanks
We returned the next week and the real work began, digging 6 foot deep holes for the water tanks in the hot sun. We worked side-by-side with the beneficiary families and our team of leaders from the previous group of beneficiaries. Together we measured, explained how the tanks are built and got to work.
As we worked, we interacted with the families, hearing their stories and learning about their lives. A young girl shared her excitement, saying, "I'll no longer have to miss school to fetch water!" Already, we have seen school attendance dramatically increase since starting our work in Buzaniro.
Over the next months, we will visit Buzaniro weekly. We will add wood scaffolding, stucco and corrugated iron roofs to secure the water harvesting structures. Then the more technical aspects will begin, including installing the pumps and metal piping to carry the water to the tank.
We returned home from Buzaniro around 9pm, hungry and exhausted from our long day in the field, but with our hearts filled with joy and our spirits lifted, knowing that we are creating real change and that the benefits will ripple out for years to come.
Alphonse Twinamatsiko and Alex Atuheire
