Part 3 of Phase 5 in the South Sudan Well Rehab Program
As an ongoing part of our South Sudan Well Rehab Program, Water Charity and our South Sudanese partners in Water Is Basic took on another 16 village wells to repair for Phase V. These are the conclusions for Wells 9 to 12.
This phase of the program has been completed. To read about the entire program, CLICK HERE.
9. Errap
Location
Yei, Nahr Yei, Central Equatoria, South Sudan
GPS- 4.081165, 30.657646
Conclusion Report
Agnes fled from Mundri to Yei as an IDP when the 2016 civil war erupted. Agnes is a widow with seven children who are mostly all grown. Her husband died during the war, and when Agnes left home, her older children stayed as orphans with extended family members. She brought with her to Yei her four youngest children.
Accessing clean water as an IDP is very difficult. During the conflict, this area became overcrowded, and the well fell into disrepair. The well committee is made up of IDPs that have resided in the camp for many years. Agnes and others from the community had to travel daily over an hour each day to Dam to access water. Others would go to Lutaya, which is located just beyond the national security checkpoint.
As a committee member, Agnes and her team reached out to the Water is Basic team to repair their well as they were finding it impossible to acquire the amount of water needed from long distances.
Agnes is relieved that peace has come to the IDP camp where she resides, but she longs to go back home. At this point, she has no means to earn an income and doesn’t know what the condition of her home is. Clean, accessible water means she has less to worry about and can, at the very least, meet the basic needs of her children. With more space in her days and better health, Agnes can now consider her future and how to rebuild.
10. Lopapa II
Location
Yei, Nahr Yei, Central Equatoria, South Sudan
GPS- 4.072817, 30.680168
Conclusion Report
Mr. Joseph Baiga is a 48-year-old resident of Lopapa with two children. Joseph fled this area because of insecurity in June of 2016 and moved to Jigomoni as an IDP.
Like so many in his village, Mr. Joseph has returned to his abandoned home because he learned that peace returned to his area. He had a sense of urgency to return to his field to plant before the rainy season so there would be food to eat and to sell. Unfortunately, there has been little rain, and while he fears his crops will not yield a good harvest, he is grateful he doesn’t have the added burden of water to worry over.
When he first returned, the borehole was not working, and Joseph had to fetch his water from an old shallow open well on his property. This water was okay to use for watering plants, but not suitable for drinking.
With a functioning borehole now supplying clean, freshwater, Joseph, his family, and his community have great hope because they will now have the health and the time needed to put forth great effort in rebuilding their homes and their lives.
11. St. James Primary School
Location
Yei, Nahr Yei, Central Equatoria, South Sudan
GPS- 4.074469, 30.674665
Conclusion Report
Charity is a single 35-year-old mother with four children. She was living close to St James Primary School before the conflict, but when the crisis emerged, she moved to Errap, a residential area that is densely populated with different communities living all together.
Charity is a businesswoman, and although she does not have a formal education, she manages her work well and has always been able to earn an income to pay fees for her children to attend school. This became a great struggle when she had to move during the crisis and her children withdrew from the school while they were displaced. The charity said that those that remained in the St. James area during the conflict struggled with the issue of water as the borehole fell into disrepair. At that time, people had to travel an hour round trip to fetch water from Wuluturu stream. Not only was this a burden on their time, but on their health as well, as the water from the stream is full of waterborne diseases.
The charity said, “This working water well is exciting news for us women who are taking the steps of returning to our home.” She noted that most importantly, health issues related to drinking
12. Baptist church
Location
Yei, Nahr Yei, Central Equatoria, South Sudan
GPS- 4.111637, 30.664344
Conclusion Report
Esterina Lemon is a resident of Baptist Church Community. She has suffered the loss of five of her nine children. Esterina is dependent upon her four daughters as she does not have a way to earn an income to support herself. While she does not work, she is busy in her community, as she works hard to cook for her extended family and often cares for her young grandchildren. She is proud of her role as a committee member of the newly restored borehole.
During the conflict in 2016, Esterina fled to Arua, Uganda because she could not tolerate living in the refugee camps. She returned home in 2018 when she heard about the revitalized peace process and calmness in Yei town compared to the last three years. When the borehole broke down, she said it affected the community negatively as they had to depend upon a local hand-dug well that contained dirty stagnant water. The other option to fetch water was to travel a long distance to another functioning borehole. In the process of fetching water, it’s difficult, especially for an older person like Esterina. Often, people who are in a rush to fill their jerry cans out of desperation, force themselves into the front of lines. Esternia did not have the strength or the energy for such a fuss, so she resorted to using the dug well with dirty water. While she would boil the water to remove impurities when she could, the family could not always afford the coal to make the fire. The restoration of this well adds excellent value to the lives of the community of Baptist Church, and Esterina is a proud beneficiary of this effort.
