A Fresh Start for a Small Community in Southern Sudan

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

Jane Beesley visits a community in Western Equatoria revitalised by a fresh water supply.

Despite travelling non-stop for several days, despite sitting in a crowded car, despite this being on the other side of the road to where I’m sitting, I still notice a signpost on the side of the road.  It looks more like something from rural England than southern Sudan - names of places and distances clearly marked.  “Now that’s unusual”, I thought…The car sped by arriving several hours later at the Oxfam office in East Mundri.

Two days later, we are back at the signpost and turning right down a virtually hidden path. Seven miles of bumpy track over red earth and through bush brings us suddenly into a clearing - Koromba, where Oxfam recently constructed a borehole.

Under the shade of a tree a group of people are waiting for us. Greetings are warm. We’re the first foreigners to visit. Everyone gathers in a sheltered meeting area, which the community built so there was somewhere to teach the children. There are no schools anywhere nearby.

Our programme here is simple - water and sanitation. But after years of conflict and isolation I’m reminded, and humbled, once again about the incredible impact that having a borehole providing regular, safe water can have on people’s lives. People talk about the time it used to take to collect water, and the consequential cost of that time to their families and livelihoods, the risks and sicknesses…and the shame they felt for being dirty, for smelling.

But Oxfam didn’t just come and drill this borehole. The community first had to clear a track to the main road. The seven miles were cleared in less than two weeks. But it’s that combination of borehole and road that is offering the community new hope.

Click here for the full article.