Lucy's story

Lucy Akanboguure is a teacher from Kandiga in Ghana. Her life changed when WaterAid helped provide her community with a safe water supply. Here she explains the amazing difference that water has brought to her life.

As one of the many WaterAid beneficiaries in Ghana I would like to say yaa tuma tuma which means a special big thank you for the water and sanitation facilities that have changed our lives in so many ways.

The need for water

A decade ago, I had to get up at 3am every day to collect water from a river 5km walk away which was the main water source for many communities. The earliest I returned was 10am which meant I was often late for work which angered the Head Teacher.

Even so, I always went alone so that my children could go to school. Sometimes they had water to wash with and prepare breakfast. Sadly, sometimes they did not. They often went to school late without food because of my absence.
 
In my community women were expected to provide water every morning for their husbands. The lack of water often resulted in quarrels, wife beating or even divorce. I often had it hectic with my husband when there was no water and after moving to the town where he worked, he filed for separation and later divorce.

Fetching water took up most of the women's day. During their dark dawn journey to the river, some women were bitten by snakes, others fell down from fatigue, injuring themselves and breaking their water pots and calabashes.

Girls were also expected to carry water and so very few enrolled in schools. In many deprived communities today only one woman is educated for every 30 men. Female teachers were rare - I was the only female teacher in my school.

In Kandiga communities suffered most from water shortages during the long dry season from November to March. Women quarrelled, beat or injured one another and even broke one another's containers and calabashes in the 'mad' rush for water. Because water was so scarce we were forced to collect dirty water which posed severe health hazards.

Sanitary facilities were generally non-existent. Diarrhoea, dysentery, guinea worm and cholera were rife and often resulted in death because we didn't have health facilities. My children and others in the neighbourhood were severely malnourished.

The next step

In 1994 I heard about WaterAid's work in Ghana. I quickly organised our community and applied for assistance. In 1995, after several meetings, the project was agreed and the first two hand-dug wells were constructed.

As part of the project requirements the community provided labour, contributed funds and bought the handpumps. WaterAid provided skilled labour and materials and Rural Aid, WaterAid's partner, monitored the project, provided support and lined the wells.

The community maintains and manages the handpumps, using funds that they themselves contribute monthly to pay for repairs.

New beginnings

On the first day after the handpump was installed I woke up at 6am and cried aloud thinking I was too late to fetch water from the river. Then I realised that in their excitement my children had woken up earlier and filled the water pots with clean water and were already preparing breakfast.

I felt so happy having water at my doorstep, 24 hours a day, knowing that I was safe from water related diseases. More value was added to my life when I had access to a toilet.
 
Since then life in my community has been peaceful. Fighting, quarrels, snakebites, tiredness and water related diseases are things of the past. Men and children fetch water for all their needs and there is a remarkable increase in school enrolment for both boys and girls. Our primary school is now fully staffed because teachers accept jobs as there is water nearby.

My children and I now go to school as early as 7am. I have time to organise groups of children for extra curricular activities like science clubs, drama groups, sports and clean up campaigns. I help train teachers and teach women in my community and am also educating people about the need for toilets.

Because of WaterAid's approach women's lives in particular have been greatly enhanced. They have time to look after their families and earn money by weaving or farming. Previously women were seen as unintelligent. Now they are seen as equals.

They are involved in decision making and can take up leadership roles - something that was unthinkable before. I have been elected to represent my community in the District Assembly, the highest political authority at the district level.

In fact WaterAid's approach has gone far beyond the provision of good drinking water and sanitation facilities. Debates and decision making have been strengthened, communities are encouraged to manage local and environmental resources, which in turn has led to industry, improved living conditions and better health.

Let me assure you that every penny contributed brings about a fundamental relief to the life of somebody, somewhere in a deprived district in Ghana.

Life without water used to be awful, I had no time for myself and was always depressed, worrying where I could get water from. I didn't think I was capable of anything. Now I am so surprised by what I can do, I am surprised that I can do it and I am very happy.

Lucy's story features in Anita Roddick's book Troubled Water. See www.troubledwater.org for more information.