8-year-old Gisele can now quench her thirst

Gisele Uwarugira used to be thirsty while at school, but she could only go to the water point to quench her thirst two times a week when the thirst became unbearable. Now, things are completely different since World Vision, in partnership with the school, parents and nearby communities brought clean water to Gisele’s school, the Gasenyi Primary School of Bukirasazi commune in Gitega province, in the centre of Burundi.

Although she would get thirsty, Gisele could not go to the water point every day because it was far from her school. The fifteen minutes break time was not sufficient for her to go and come back on time. At her age, she was not as quick as the older children who ran faster to queue at the only available water source. Some students would even come back to school late.

Now, Gisele is happy to quench her thirst at ease from the water that World Vision in partnership with the communities brought to her school. Communities offered the lands where water points are constructed and participated in protecting them by constructing fences to prevent animal from spoiling the water sources.

12-year-old Rachelle Nsabiyera, a grade 3 student at the same school, appreciates that the water supplied has relieved her from the burden of carrying water from home or walking a long distance to the water source as school authorities requested children to bring water from their homes to clean the school three times a week. "Before the new water supply source was constructed at the school, time management was a big issue for the school authorities. Children would spend much time collecting water and cleaning classrooms," Josias Nimpenda, the school headmaster explains.

To ensure that the water point and the supply of water are sustainable, parents have come together to form a water committee in charge of collecting money from community members and keeping it in a fund that will be used for repairs or fixing any issue that might arise hindering the flow of water.

The head teacher observes that the available water has increased school time and hygiene for the children. Additionally school authorities together with the parents of students attending Gasenyi Primary School have also been meeting to jointly plan the construction of more toilet blocks to serve the increasing number of students. This will help reduce the incidences of students missing school due to illnesses caused by poor hygiene.