With clean water, Hauwawu brags of a better life and now lives her dream
Pholontulu is an agrarian community located in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Before WaterAid’s intervention, the community lacked access to clean water for years and was forced to rely on streams and other unsafe water sources. Residents of the community who are predominantly farmers spent less time on their farms because they had to travel miles in search of water.
However, with the installation of the water facility under the second phase of the Diageo-funded Water Replenishment Project, farmers say that access to clean water has brought succour, improved school attendance and education outcomes, increased agricultural production and improved health.
Hauwawu Dalhatu, 42, a female farmer is full of gratitude for the installed water facility and describes how it has helped her achieve some of her goals as a farmer.
“It has always been my desire to engage in irrigation farming during the dry season but because of the lack of water, I could not. Since the arrival of the water two years ago, my dream has come true. I now farm vegetables and onions during the dry season. While during the rainy season, I farm rice, guinea corn and maize. I can get up to twenty-seven bags of rice if the harvest is good.”
Hauwawu admits that she lives a better life now and there has been improvement in her hygiene and that of the family.
“I cannot begin to count the changes that have occurred since the installation of the water facility. First, the way I go about my house chores is different because, with water close to home, I have the strength to carry out my chores effortlessly. My hygiene has also improved.
“These days, I do not necessarily have to wait for the children to come back from school to fetch water. I fetch the water myself and cook the meals they will eat once they are back. Our health has also improved. We do not suffer from infectious diseases. I have more time on my farm which has helped my finances because of the large produce I sell. I wish more women in the community will be farmers just like me.”
