WATER MEANS LIFE
Health workers in Mozambique need clean water on tap to stay safe and save lives.
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In hospitals and clinics all over the world, you’ll find committed doctors, nurses and cleaners passionate about helping others, just like the dedicated team at Napacala Health Centre in Mozambique.
But this team is missing one crucial resource: clean water.
They go above and beyond their duties to treat their patients, working around the clock.
But despite their devotion, without clean water, without this important tool they need to do their jobs, their every effort to heal risks bringing harm.
With your support, working with our local partners, we’ll bring clean, piped water to Napacala and four other health centres across the Cuamba district in northern Mozambique, plus many other communities around the world – because Water Means Life.
Napacala’s clinic, found within a bustling market, is at the centre of 16 communities – what happens here ripples out into its surrounds.
If the clinic is unhealthy, then so are the communities it serves. Meet some of the incredible team at Napacala Health Centre and their patients.
Maria Alberto, nurse
Water for me is life and without it there’s no life.
Maria has been at Napacala Health Centre for just eight months, but in that short time she's gained a lot of respect in the community through her hard work, kindness and care.
Like many of her colleagues, her workplace is far away from her family and hometown. She’s totally dedicated to her job; she works seven days a week and is on call 24 hours a day.
“This is my first job since finishing training. My work is about preventive medicine. I work a lot with children in the vaccination programme. Working with children makes me very happy. Since I started working here, I’ve learned how to care for pregnant women.
“We need water in Napacala. We would like to have water pumps not just here in the health centre but across our community.”
The impact of dirty water on maternal health
Infections associated with unclean births account for 26% of newborn deaths and 11% of maternal mortalities each year - together accounting for more than 1 million deaths annually.
Without clean water to sterilise equipment, to wash bedding and to keep people clean, health workers, mums-to-be and babies are at risk of getting sick and in tragic cases, dying.
However, with something as simple as clean water, midwives can deliver babies in a safe environment, cleaning staff can keep facilities immaculate, and mums and babies can concentrate on spending their first special moments together.
Afonsina Mulikiwa poses with her baby at the health centre in Napacala. Niassa Province, Mozambique, July 23, 2022. WaterAid/ Etinosa Yvonne.
Afonsina Mulikiwa poses with her baby at the health centre in Napacala. Niassa Province, Mozambique, July 23, 2022. WaterAid/ Etinosa Yvonne.
Matilde Romao, mother and patient
We’ve now given a name to my son which means ‘leave the baby with us this time’.
Matilde has lived in Napacala her whole life. She gave birth to her baby here in May 2022.
“I bring my new baby here every month for his vaccinations. But I have had three children that have died. We’ve now given a name to my son which means ‘leave the baby with us this time’.
"If I could change anything about the health centre, I would change the toilets. They are not good. They are dirty. We were washing our hands often because of coronavirus but nowadays we don’t wash regularly because we [don’t] have a lot of water, even at home. Water is a real problem here. We have only one small well for many, many people.
"The community is good here. Christmas is important. The whole community comes together. There is a big feast, a big party. We save together for Christmas every year. We use the money to buy clothes for the children. We drink beer, we dance.
“We want to change our life. I would like to have more babies. I would like to have better conditions in hospital in the future.”
A brighter future is possible
At WaterAid, we have more than 40 years of collective know-how to turn situations like these around. Through strong partnerships with in-country experts and local communities, we’ve transformed the life chances of millions across the world.
We’ve already made headway in Mozambique. In Mecanhelas, we worked with our partners to pipe clean water into the health centre there, which has made a huge difference to staff and patients alike.
Valéria Estêvão at the Mecanhelas health centre. Niassa Province, Mozambique, Jul 28, 2022. WaterAid/ Etinosa Yvonne.
Valéria Estêvão at the Mecanhelas health centre. Niassa Province, Mozambique, Jul 28, 2022. WaterAid/ Etinosa Yvonne.
Maria Armando, cleaner at Mecanhelas health centre
Maria has experienced life at Mecanhelas clinic before and after taps were installed.
“It was difficult [before]. We had to fetch water from a well using all the buckets we have here to enable us to clean the premises. Can you imagine the number of people reporting to the emergency services, and using the toilets? We had to go seven times a day to fetch water from the well.
“Now all of this is in the past. All wards are clean all the time. Taps have running water all the time. Whenever we spot dirt, we clean it straight away. It is a joy! Water is very important to me. Without water there is no life.”
Without the stress and time wasted fetching water from far away, Maria and her colleagues at Mecanhelas can concentrate on their work, keep facilities clean and patients healthy.
Together, we can reach five more health centres across Mozambique with clean, running water, plus many more communities around the world, so staff can stay safe and save lives.
It’s a simple, small solution that you can support in the simplest, smallest way possible – and still make a massive impact.
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