Abandoning all other activities, Elizabeth left her village of Loukintowin to search for water. Her only chance of finding water was the nearby village five kilometers away.
“Water is life. Whatever activity we might do, we cannot do it without water.”
This treacherous journey cost villagers a lot. A loss of income for farmers as they couldn’t work on their farms. A loss of an education as children often missed school. A loss of quality time spent with their families as the mothers were away for long hours.
It even had the potential to cost someone their life. Mokpa, the nearby village, would not allow Elizabeth to fill her jerry can until their own villagers were finished filling their pails. At times, this meant that Elizabeth spent the whole night waiting and returning home in the dark at 2 am, risking her safety on her commute.
But we shared an opportunity with Elizabeth and others that would bring an end to this harsh reality.
Four deep-capped water wells were provided to the Logozohe district in Benin, which included Elizabeth’s village.
Justice was brought to their water crisis. Clean and safe water was now accessible in each of their villages. “These water wells brought a lot of welfare and life to our community! Now we are in good health,” share villagers.
Today, Elizabeth is the president of the district’s women’s group.
“Now it is possible for us to do our own activities and make a living,” comments Elizabeth. “I have a business and sell things like cassava flour and charcoal.”
Through a partnership with the JESUS Film Church Planting Strategy, 400 villagers also had the opportunity to hear about the Living Water for the first time. As a result, 122 people made a decision to follow Jesus, and 45 people are now being discipled.
“The local church has been hugely impacted,” states Elizabeth. “As a result of the wells, we’ve been able to share God’s love to many people in their households. That’s why anytime I go to the water well, I praise God for providing for our needs.”
Elizabeth’s journey for clean water is not uncommon. Even in her excitement, she shares the pain of knowing that a nearby village has no safe water for their hospital. And how a river used as a water source for several villages has now run dry.
There’s still a desperate need and so much is lost in the pursuit of water, which quite often isn’t even safe water to use. In fact, according to the World Health Organization,1 the time spent gathering water around the world translates to $24 billion in lost economic benefits each year. Imagine the cost; yet imagine the opportunity!
All of this can change!
You can help give back what villagers have lost.
Your involvement is vital for the survival and wellbeing of people like Elizabeth to gain access to safe water for the first time. For every US$1 invested in water and sanitation, there is an economic return of US$4 by keeping people healthy and productive.2
A deep-capped water well costs $8,500 to provide and supports an average of 1,000 people. Your gift of $85, $170, or $425 provides safe water and the Living Water to villagers currently living without it; not to mention it removes the terrible cost people and their communities experience.
WOULD YOU MAKE A DONATION TODAY TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE ELIZABETH?
P.S. There are still 663 million individuals suffering from unsafe water sources.1 You can help end the cycle of devastation and death that parasite-ridden water has caused for generations.
1 Source: UNICEF.org and WHO.int
2 Source: WHO
Leave a Reply