Here, the quest for water falls on the shoulders of women and young girls, taking them away from education and healthcare opportunities. Fair Future and Kawan Baik’s transformative #WaterConnections program is changing this narrative. Discover how we’re empowering them to reclaim their time, health, and future.

In this news "Immagine del giorno", under the terrible heat of East Sumba, a mother and her daughter trudge forward, carrying five empty jerry cans. Their feet tread on arid ground, strewn with stones and brush. The day started a few hours ago and the journey is far from over. They have travelled more than five kilometres on foot and have as much ahead of them to reach their destination: Kullups, holes dug by hand in the rock of a hill. (Ref. Read this article here)

In this part of the world, Kullups are more than mere rainwater reservoirs; they represent a vestige of human ingenuity against near-chronic water scarcity. Rainwater, channeled by soil and rock, seeps in to feed these small stone basins at the foot of a hill. It's a source of life, but also a source of heart-wrenching dilemmas. For every precious drop, there is a hidden cost, measured not in money but in lost opportunities, compromised health, and uncertain futures.

Consider the mother. Each trip for acqua represents hours when she can't work, maintain her home, or care for her family. What about her daughter? With every step she takes toward the kullup, she moves further from an education that could unlock doors to a better future. The thirst for learning is there, but it is weighed against a more immediate, more vital thirst.

Against this backdrop, the teams from Un futuro giusto e Amici buoni step in, armed with the will to make a difference and the tools and expertise needed to do so. The #WaterConnections program doesn't merely supply acqua; it aims to redefine these communities' relationship with this essential resource. By installing water collection and filtration systems, educating on hygiene best practices, and encouraging community participation, Un futuro giusto e Amici buoni aim to break the vicious cycle of poverty and disease.

Waterborne diseases like Malaria, Dengue, diarrea and cholera are commonplace in these areas. But their impact doesn't stop at the individual. A sick mother cannot provide for her family. A sick daughter cannot attend school. And a cycle of suffering and poverty perpetuates, generation after generation.

The work of Un futuro giusto e Amici buoni isn't completed in a day or even a year. It's a long-term commitment, an investment in the future of these communities. But every installed acqua system, every educational session, and every assisted family represents a step toward a future where this mother and daughter won't have to choose between the present and the future, between thirst and the thirst for learning.

In a world where Acqua pulita is often taken for granted, it's easy to forget that for some, it's a luxury that comes at a high price. By working on the ground alongside those who live this reality every day, Fair Future and Kawan Baik remind us that behind every drop of acqua, there's a human story, a struggle, and an opportunity for change.

Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation Campo medico-sociale in East Sumba – Casa Kambera, Lambanapu, 17th of October, 2023.