In November 2015, our GAiN Water for Life Initiative Team visited Ethiopia and brought back good news from a poor, remote village in the dry region of Southern Ethiopia – Ame Serba.

A newly-drilled deep-capped well had been finished and the team was there for the dedication.

Almost the whole village of goat and cattle herders turned out, dressed in their ceremonial dress to welcome the team and celebrate the new well. Old men came with tall carved sticks–the privilege of village elders, and the women came with festive trinkets in colorful dresses ornamented with gourds.

The village elders ceremoniously bestowed Borana turban headdresses on the GAiN staff to welcome them to the village. 

The villagers were so overwhelmingly appreciative of the well!

It had changed their lives as a tribe and reduced the premature death of livestock due to water shortage. Women and young girls were unquestionably tasked with fetching water, and it was not uncommon to see girls 10 or 12 years old with large jerry cans strapped to their backs that they carried for long distances. Having the well close by was now saving women and girls precious hours every day. Today, they now use these hours to do more productive work on the farm and in their households, as well as go to school.

Through the partnership with the JESUS Film Church Planting Strategy team, the JESUS Film had also been shown in this village and a new church had been planted. After the dedication, the GAiN team met the new church congregation, which included the leader of the village and many other villagers.

It was so moving for the teams to see, with their own eyes, all those who had been impacted from this partnership and that God’s love had been demonstrated, both in word and deed.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER VILLAGES LIKE AME SERBA THAT NEED BOTH CLEAN WATER AND THE LIVING WATER.

WOULD YOU HELP PROVIDE CLEAN WATER TO VILLAGE?

Give the gift of water.

You can help dramatically reduce disease, improve local health services, restore broken families and reveal the love of Jesus.

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Hawa Guyo of Melbena, Ethiopia is a mother who always carried two children (one in the front and one on her back) as she walked walk eight hours a day to fetch water.

Upon arrival…the water was extremely dirty. People and animals used it at the same time. The donkeys and other animals urinated in the same pond that Hawa was using for drinking water. She explained that both her and her children were getting sick from the water-borne diseases. To add to this, since Hawa did not have money to get treated, they suffered a lot for years.

Today, Hawa shared that their life is totally different for three significant reasons.

Firstly, after the water well was provided in her village, they only walk five minutes to get water.

Secondly, Hawa gets clean water from the well and they’re not suffering from water-borne diseases anymore.

Lastly, the responsibility of fetching water used to fall on the little girls and women and because of that the girls were not able to go to school. Now, since they no longer walk eight hours to fetch water, they have time to go to school. Hawa said that she is now able to send her children to school.

Hawa urged that the drilling support for the Borana people should continue so that many people are protected from sickness and the little girls can get an education.

“Thank you for what has been done for me and my community,” shares Hawa.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP OTHERS LIKE HAWA?