Against the currents of adversity
In her quest for water to sustain her everyday life, Santa Maria Waison’s daily routine used to be far from simple. Like many others living on the banks of the Cazindira River in Mozambique, her days were filled with challenges: every step of the way felt like a battle against nature itself.
Wading through hardships
Every morning at the break of dawn, while her husband sets out to go fishing, Mrs. Waison starts a hectic day, tending to her family’s needs. From house chores to taking care of her three children, her tasks seemed endless. But the most challenging duty was to go to a small traditional well by the Cazindira River to fetch water.
“Fetching water was very dangerous, as along the way, we often came across snakes or even territorial oxen. Once, an ox pushed me, and I fell dropping the jerry of water I was carrying”, Mrs. Santa recounts.
Her journeys were long and tiring… But Mrs Waison took her challenges in stride, leaving home at 6 am every morning, and getting back at 5 pm.
Due to the high number of people at the well, it took her approximately 11 hours to get just 40 litres of water. To make things worse, people sometimes fought aggressively.
However the real challenge was the water itself – contaminated and unsafe for consumption because of all the garbage thrown in the water around the fountain.
Parting the waters
Amidst these struggles, ADPP with the support of the Ecofish Programme stepped in to chart a new course. The installation of boreholes near Santa Maria’s home has brought a flow of improvements. Leaving her house at 7 am and being back by 8 has enabled her to do all her domestic activities, and a lot more… even rest!
“I’m very happy because we now have clean water in our house and nobody complains about water-borne diseases,” says Mrs. Waison.
No longer burdened by the relentless pursuit of water, and thanks to training sessions on community-based management of natural resources by ADPP, Santa Maria has decided to redirect her efforts towards agricultural production. Like for many others, vegetable farming helps Mrs Waison bring an additional income to her household.
Bridging the gap
ADPP’s actions extend beyond water access. Through initiatives like borehole construction, the organisation has worked tirelessly to uplift the lives of more than 1500 fishers and their families in the North-East of Mozambique. Vegetable gardens, grants for fisher groups, and community projects have contributed to bolstering economic stability.
With the unwavering support of programmes like Ecofish and ADPP, Santa Maria and her community navigate the currents of change, steering towards a promising future, full of new possibilities.
