Teachers Take Action On Water Shortage
Published Wed, Aug 28, 2024
Written by Dana Kaltenberger
Access to clean water is one of the major challenges faced in remote areas in Sierra Leone. Water is a serious challenge especially in middle of the dry season forcing students and community members to collect their drinking water from polluted sources. Water pollutants and poor sanitation are attributed to some of the health problems that plague rural communities.
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Low access to pure drinking and cooking water affects the health, survival and development of children in Sierra Leone. The children fetch drinking water from an unprotected water source at far distance. Drinking the unprotected water causes serious fever and vomiting, and the distance they must travel to fetch drinking water causes students to be late for school. Due to the need for clean water sources, wells have become an essential staples in each of our EduNations’ schools. However, when a well is not functioning, everyone in the community is at risk. Earlier this year, our EduNations teachers in Mabum Station identified a serious malfunction with the well there. In the middle of the school term, they observed that many of the students were late for school because of the lack of water security. They were walking a far distance to fetch water at the village stream before they could go to school.
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Three teachers and the pastor of the church in Mabum Station, who also teaches, engaged in a meeting and agreed to repair the well by contributing equally out of their own pockets.
These four individuals sought out a technician to travel to Mabum Station and make the repairs to the well.
The students and the community people were overjoyed and extremely thankful for the restoration of the clean water source. Now the well is functioning properly and they have access to safe drinking water once again!
“I appreciate the repair of our school drinking water well so much and thank God for my fellow teachers who come onboard to resolve this challenge. Now we have reduced the challenge of our students coming late to school.” - Gibrilla Brima Kalokoh, head teacher of EduNations Hope Academy, Primary School Mabum Station
“I appreciate EduNations and our fellow teachers for the initiative in the repair of our school hand pump, now we have safe and clean drinking water for students, staff and community people.” Sarah Mummey Kargbo, head teacher of EduNations Hope Academy Nursery School Mabum Station.
“Humans can live longer without food than water, so communication about clean water is essential to help avoid the risk of getting cholera and dysentery. I am grateful for the repairof our safe school drinking water.” - Alie Santus Kamara, deputy head teacher of EduNations Hope Academy Primary School, Mabum Station
We are so grateful for these four individuals who stepped up and took action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students and the community at large by restoring their access to clean water. We love our EduNations teachers!