The 2nd Children's World Water Forum

Many of the children who attended the Children’s World Water Forum had amazing stories to tell about their experiences leading water and hygiene projects in some of the world’s poorest communities. These are some of their stories …

© UNICEF/2006/Chevigny

Mekhriniso in an outfit of her own making, at the Children’s World Water Forum in Mexico.

Mekhriniso Saidiso, 15, Chapaev, Tajikistan

My family is big. There are 8 children, including me (2 boys and 6 girls), along with my mother and father. I'm the eldest child in our family. I feel very responsible for my young sisters and brothers; the youngest is only 1 year old.

There are problems in many villages related to lack of drinking water. Adults and children spend many hours a day to fetch water for their households. I think that all people have a right to drinking water, and no one should suffer from water-borne diseases or illnesses related to poor hygiene or sanitation. I think people can prevent these diseases simply by observing the rules of personal and public hygiene.

As one of the members of the “7 peer groups” on sanitation and hygiene within the UNICEF water program in our school, I’m actively involved in the life of our school and village (participating in local surveys and visiting households).

A pour-flush water seal latrine was constructed in our school in 2005. Before that, we had a very old and unsanitary toilet in the school and girls were not going to that toilet.  Now, a year has passed and we enjoy our latrine. Besides, with the effort of the 7 peer groups we ensure cleanliness of the toilet and proper operation and maintenance of water and sanitation points.

I’m the leader of the student group on “handling of drinking water”. Our group is responsible for monitoring safe handling of drinking water through conducting community water quality monitoring and water surveys in school and in the community to ensure that people know about water quality and how to boil water before they drink it.  For most of the girls, this has been the first time they have been given an opportunity to exercise leadership skills in basic education.

I want to be a leader in improving the living conditions of our community, particularly related to water and sanitation issues.

© UNICEF/2006/Ariel Carlomagno

Ojulu carries an empty 20-litre bucket on his way to meet ministers of water and the environment from around the world.

Ojulu Okelli, 15, Gambella Town, Ethiopia

My school in Gambella Town is 4 kilometers away from my residence.  The school has no water supply and latrine facilities.  Students go to the nearby bushes to ease themselves. In our region there is a problem of water and toilets.  My fellow students and I, including the whole community, drink water from the river, which is polluted.  We don’t only drink it, but we also use it for washing clothes and cooking food.

To get water from where we live we have to walk 5 to 6 kilometers.  In order not to waste water extravagantly, we have to minimize our water usage.  So we do not even drink water whenever we need it in order not to walk those miles again, leave alone using it for personal hygiene. 

The water we use for our different needs is not safe and clean. There are lots of bacteria in it. Some people swim in it or wash cars in it. People even defecate beside the river, and whenever there is rain it washes it down to the river, polluting the water. 

This problem is not only in the town where I live, but in the rural areas too.  Life in the rural areas is more difficult because they get their water from a river and they have to walk 10 to 15 kilometers. This water is not only drunk by people but also by animals, and because of that people get sick with lots of water-borne diseases. These water-borne diseases attack children, which is the major problem preventing children from attending school. 

To help our families, we students have formed a school sanitation club. We learn basic hygiene skills, and pass them on to our friends and relations. So I would like to request international organizations, including UNICEF, to help us get clean drinking water, and to help us get latrines and clean water in our schools and communities. I am asking this in the name of the Gambella children, women and the whole community.