The life for Mitchel (10) and his family have ground to a halt because access to clean water remains a constant struggle. Each of their daily activities requires water: drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, and even tending to their garden or livestock. For as long as they can remember, clean water has been far from their home. Mitchel and the other children in this village, located in the South Central Timor Regency, have to go to extraordinary lengths just to get a drop.
“I collect water from the embung (small dam). If there is no clean water there, only then do I go to the spring. After that, I go home and rest for a bit. Later in the afternoon, I go back to the dam again to haul more water,” says Mitchel, who is currently enroll in primary school.
A single trip to fetch clean water takes an hour and a half on foot. He sets off with empty jerry cans, but returns carrying the heavy burden of full ones. The difficulty and physical toll of accessing water often leave Mitchel feeling frustrated and exhausted. “Usually, my mother asks me to go and get water. I tell her I’ll do it later and keep playing with my friends. Sometimes I get angry with her because I have to haul water every single day,” he admits honestly.
In a single day, Mitchel and his family spend roughly three hours just to secure clean water. Mama Seh and Bapak Agus, Mitchel’s parents, had to walk even longer distances when they were his age. To this day, there is still no tap providing running water in their home, nor in any of the other houses in the village. Every day, Mitchel still has to endure the long trek with a jerry can in each hand. His parents do the same; his father, Bapak Agus, even manages to carry four jerry cans in a single trip.
“We have to manage our time carefully to get the water. We need to get back quickly so Mitchel isn't late for school. We all go together to fetch water so that there is enough for washing our faces, doing the dishes, and for the toilet,” explains Mama Seh.
The most urgent hope for Mitchel and his family is easy access to clean water. Mitchel dreams of a tap with clean, running water right near his house, so he and the other children in his village no longer have to suffer the exhaustion of hauling water. As Mama Seh puts it: “Clean water is vital for our family’s health. If there is no clean water, what are we supposed to cook with? If we are thirsty, what will we drink? We are always in need of clean water for our family.”
Author: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)