By Kate Peng | Project Manager
“I lost my unborn child while fetching water from the far off well. I was very sad and prayed that water should be available at our doorstep. It is as if my prayers were answered when ActionAid came to our village and installed hand pumps.
The best part is they asked the women to identify the most suitable place for their installation. This is fair because women have to fetch water, even if they are unwell, pregnant or extremely exhausted from working all day.
This is a story of 28 years old Taj Bibi , who lives in Haji Arbab Dall Juna, a small village of district Thatta, Sindh. She has a 2 years old daughter and her husband Abdul Sattar is a farm laborer.
Ever since the floods came, the well water has become muddy and bitter to taste. It also gives us stomachache. Now we have clean drinking water available, ActionAid's hand pumps are a blessing; Taj Bibi says pointing at a newly installed hand pump. As she spoke, a group of women and girls arrived at the pump and started filling their pans and pots with clean water. The sound of their chitchat and laughter expressed their happiness.
ActionAid started emergency response in Thatta in 2010 as the flood-displaced people were returning to their ravished villages. The water had largely receded but there were signs of destruction everywhere. ActionAid provided the poor and vulnerable people with relief items, including food packages, linen, soaps and household items. In addition, food, livelihood and shelter support has also been provided to the most vulnerable households especially women-headed families.
In the rehabilitation phase of our emergency response, and as part of the long-term programmatic work, we are building people's capacities to understand, claim and secure their human rights. Disaster risk education and preparedness is an important component of our awareness work. The shelters and other structures such as hand pumps are sturdy and built in such a way that they can withstand heavy rains and floods.
Taj Bibi and many women like her are happy with ActionAid's work and hope it will help improve their quality of life. 'I am happy that no more babies have to die like mine did. ActionAid's hand pumps will save lives.”
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