Clean Water for Drought-Affected Families in India

Villagers in remote villages in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, where this project takes place, rely on traditional water harvesting structures. These structures- called “taankas”— provide them water in dry periods. Kushlawa is one such village. Like many villages, drinking water is a major problem here.

Dhapu Devi is 73 years old and lives in Kushlawa. Her family has 10 members. They are dependant on farming, and erratic rains are increasingly affecting their crops. The family struggles with extreme poverty and previously had no way to store drinking water. For many years, Dhapu and other women in her extended family had to walk 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) everyday. Even then, they barely had enough for drinking water and other daily necessities.

With the help of GRAVIS and supporters like you, the family now has a new taanka.

The taanka has relieved the family – especially the women and girls— from the arduousness of water fetching drudgery.

They now have enough water for drinking and the water is clean. Because of this, they are protected from various infectious diseases and their overall health is improving. They are also able bathe regularly, and they are saving both money- to buy necessary items for daily life- and time.

And families like Dhapu’s can use all the time they can get for farming activities. Even better, 3 girls from the family have started going to school regularly as they no longer need to spend their time making multiple trips to a pond every day. “We are happier and healthier,” says Dhapu. “Our new taanka has given us a new life.” Now has never been a better time to support other families like Dhapu’s reach similar levels of health and success!