Juliet's story

Juliet with some of the women who use the new water source in Hamatabu.

Credit: WaterAid / Jon Spaull

Juliet Kamba describes how life has changed in Hamatabu village, Zambia, since her community helped build a new well.

"Sometimes it used to take us over five hours to collect water as the queue was so long, When it was like this we could only go once a day, unless we desperately needed more water and then we would go again, but this meant that collecting water would take all day and we could do very little else.

"We were all involved in deciding that we wanted a well and how to go about it. We discussed where we wanted the well and we chose the central place in the village where everyone could access it equally.

"As well as helping in its construction, we also provided food for everyone who was working here. Now that it is finished and we have clean water we are able to do all of our other work and not worry about water.

"Now that we have this extra time we are able to look after our gardens. We even have water to grow things! We can also do some craftwork - we do knitting and make baskets which we can sell too.

Juliet Kamba at well.

Credit: WaterAid / Jon Spaull

"I am on the village committee that looks after hygiene here. We walk around and encourage people to have latrines, we see how many people have them and explain the benefits. We also encourage people to build dish racks and rubbish pits, and we also explain to people the best way to wash their hands.

"We encourage them to use the pouring method rather than sharing the same bowl. I have a latrine now and now don't have to walk for long distances to try and find a private place in the bush and there is also a big reduction in diarrhoea.

"Since we have started the project we have seen great changes here. We haven't had outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases like cholera. I hope that in the future this will continue and that soon everyone here will have a latrine. The latrine builders here will help people who are unable to construct their own latrines so that we make sure that everyone has one."