Last week, the river in our village experienced the biggest flood in our history. Because of this, the water intex area on the hill was covered with large rocks and sand. Thankfully, with the help of the village youth, including myself, we walked up the hill (about 2-3 kilometers) in wet and slippery conditions. In the end, we managed to clear the rocks and sand that were blocking our village's water source.
before
after
It wasn’t an easy journey. My thighs were still sore, so I had to use a walking stick to climb up and down the hill. I slipped once, but thankfully, I wasn’t hurt. We started our work, including the hike, as early as 8 a.m. and finished around 3 p.m. What made the job even tougher was that we had to use our hands and sticks to move the big rocks and sand because we forgot to bring proper tools. Still, we’re thankful it’s all done now, and we finally have running water again.
It was a challenging and memorable experience for me. This was my second time reaching the top of the hill where our village's water catchment is located. Usually, if there’s a water issue like a blockage, a few youths are willing to climb the hill for a small payment. Thankfully, there are people willing to do it because the steep and slippery path is really dangerous.
We’re grateful that during the tough times in our village, many people stepped in to help by providing us with clean water.
