When you are fighting daily for your health and your life, everything is a drain. But when those burdens are lifted, the benefits multiply.
For parents Jacqueline and Jean, fetching water from Lake Burera was a daily challenge filled with fear. Their young children often accompanied Jacqueline on the two-hour journey to collect water. As a mother of three, she worried about the safety of her children during the trip and the risk of drowning at the lake. Although piped water was an option in their village, it was unaffordable for their family.
Their situation drastically improved as the SDA Church in Gitare installed a rainwater harvesting system. Although Jacqueline is a Christian who attends another church in town, she and the entire community now have access to clean water at no cost, regardless of their religious affiliation. She expressed her gratitude, saying, “I feel blessed to be among those who can fetch water from the church. I live nearby, and now I have access to clean water without any cost.”
Jacqueline believes that this act of kindness as the church meets real needs in its community will inspire many to embrace Christianity.
The SAM3 filter provided by 20 Liters has been life-changing for her family. “I use the rainwater for filtering, and my family no longer suffers from diseases caused by unsafe drinking water as we did before.” The benefits have gone beyond health; Jacqueline now uses the time she previously spent fetching water more productively. “Now, I can search for food for my chickens, which lay eggs and generate income for savings,” she explained. Thanks to the rainwater harvesting system and the SAM3 filter, Jacqueline saves 2,500 Rwandan francs ($1.88 USD) per week. As an industrious wife and mother, Jacqueline has used the accumulation of these savings to buy land for farming and improve her family’s livelihood.
The local church’s initiative to meet community needs through a simple water system has brought mental, physical and financial freedom to this family. Jacqueline extends her gratitude to World Relief and 20 Liters for their efforts in enhancing hygiene and overall well-being in the village.
Clean Water = saving time, saving resources, investing in a brighter future.
