The wait is over

Provide Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene FundNew Delhi
March 01, 2015

Water.org

In communities like Mahadev’s, public wells are the main source for water. This poses an obstacle for residents because it is a limited resource and requires time to collect. This is time that could be spent earning a living.

Mahadev’s village of Suradevi is in the district of Nagpur, India. Lined with highways and railways this transit hub of a city also hosts outdoor produce markets, schools, businesses and warm temperatures. There are plenty of opportunities for commerce, but for families living in Suradevi, an early morning trip to the local water point starts their days and at the same time, can tank the day's production. Hours are lost while the residents wait in line to fill their jugs with enough water to hopefully suffice their household consumption needs.

Mahadev shared his frustrations, “We had to wait for at least two hours at the public water point. At one time twenty to thirty people would come with vessels to fill. How long must one wait for water?”
The time spent waiting, the fights over water, and the uncertainty of not knowing if there would be enough to go around drove Mahadev and his wife to seek out a solution. Because he is a skilled stove maker, Mahadev is very capable of earning a living to support his wife and their two younger children. And for this, he also knew he was capable of paying for the installation of a tap line if he had the time make more stoves to sell.

Through Water.org and ESAF Mahadev learned about the WaterCredit program. This solution was going to end the cycle of time poverty for Mahadev. He and his wife agreed that taking out a microloan to establish a tap at their home would change their lives for the good. Now waiting at the well is over and Mahadev enjoys the time-saving benefits of having access to water at home. For this, he smiles.

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