Clean water is the foundation of health and dignity. These images show why urgent action is needed to transform lives in Lapinu
Photos from Lapinu Village highlight the challenges of living without clean water and sanitation, emphasizing the need for action through the Water Connections project.
In Lapinu Village, located in East Sumba, daily life is a constant struggle for survival. This extremely remote community of 300 residents, predominantly children, confronts overwhelming challenges. Lacking essential access to clean water, electricity and basic sanitation facilities means families must depend on unsafe and contaminated water sources that perpetually endanger their health and lives.
This gallery, featuring 50 photographs, vividly captures the narrative of resilience and adversity. The images depict women and children trekking kilometers under a relentless sun to gather water that is scarcely potable. This collected water, frequently murky and brimming with bacteria, often results in diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, dengue fever, and skin infections. Children are particularly affected—missing out on education opportunities while being debilitated by preventable illnesses—and thus deprived of their potential for growth and development.
The Fair Future Foundation has carried out a comprehensive feasibility study to launch the Water Connections Project in Lapinu. This project intends to ensure sustainable access to clean water and essential sanitation facilities. With complete certainty of locating water at 40 meters depth, we plan to drill a deep well and equip it with a solar-powered pump. The collected clean water will be stored in ferrocement tanks that each hold up to 5,000 liters and distributed via an HDPE pipeline network.
“Safe and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic use, food production or recreational purposes.” – World Health Organization, 2019.
This project extends beyond mere infrastructure; it’s centered around dignity, health, and hope. Access to clean water will revolutionize the lives of Lapinu’s children by decreasing instances of waterborne diseases, enhancing nutrition, and enabling students to go back to school. Additionally, a proposed handwashing station near the school aims to educate on hygiene practices and curb infectious disease transmission.
The gallery highlights the stark reality and the pressing need for change. It portrays families resolute in their quest to survive against all odds, embodying the hope that this project symbolizes. With your help, we can provide clean water, better health outcomes, and a future free from preventable hardship to Lapinu.
Access to clean water is essential; it forms the basis of life, health, and opportunity. By working together, we can ensure it reaches Lapinu.
Make a difference by donating today. (Select Water Connections Programme)
We cordially invite all captivated by this story to explore our photo gallery, witness this extraordinary effort, and further engage with our mission through our Instagram account.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – The 8th of January 2025
