‘It's not just water. It's our hope’
Following Logone-et-Chari floods, UNICEF/partners (CERF funded) installed solar drinking water systems for displaced children/families. Vital for survival, dignity, better future.
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"No need to walk for hours to faraway springs, or queue under the scorching sun. It's not just water, it's life coming back"
Ali, aged 8, pushes the lever on the tap with a knowing smile. The water gushes out in a clear stream. His friends immediately come running. They fill jerry cans, water their feet and throw a few drops at each other. A spontaneous water game was born in a place that, just a few months ago, was nothing more than a muddy wasteland. Drinking water is now available and accessible.
A total of 22,500 people has benefited from water access facilities through the installation of 03 mini photovoltaic drinking water supply systems and the rehabilitation of 30 boreholes equipped with human-powered pumps in the Logone et Chari department as part of the water, hygiene and sanitation response for people affected by flooding and conflict in the department. UNICEF is working to support the displaced populations in the region, helping to meet immediate needs.
"I'm so happy. Now I don't have to go far to get water and wash dishes. I do it on the spot. Thanks to UNICEF."
This watering hole has become a daily meeting place for children and parents alike. Families meet, talk and exchange news. And the children feel free. Since the creation of this water point, a number of activities have been carried out there by the families. Halimatou enjoys washing dishes there every day, while Mariam and Zara have turned the area around the borehole into an open-air laundry.
Thanks to the support of its donors and partners, UNICEF continues to install water points and carry out sanitation and hygiene awareness activities in areas affected by climatic disasters. Where all seemed lost, every drop of water becomes a promise: of life, of resilience, and of the right of every child to grow up in safety.
"This is the first time we've had access to clean water so close to home. We are very welcome here. This borehole is saving our lives".
Every evening, nomadic herders from neighbouring camps stop off at the "Mariam Eglise borehole" rehabilitated by UNICEF. They come to fill their jerrycans or water their livestock. This peaceful sharing of resources creates unique moments of cohabitation between displaced and transhumant communities, turning the waterpoint into a crossroads of solidarity where people from different backgrounds meet.
