Skip to main content

The Himalayas Turn on the Tap!

Dear friends,
dear Back to Life sponsors,

Rarely have we in Europe been as aware of the value of water as we have in recent months. Falling river levels, weeks of drought and devastating wildfires show how quickly water can become a precious resource.

For millions of people in Nepal’s mountain regions, however, water shortages are part of everyday life. This is also true for Hem Kumari Basel and her family in the remote village of Gwaltar in eastern Nepal.

Every Drop Counts

Every morning, before sunrise, farmer Hem Kumari (45) would set off on foot. Before rice could be cooked, the animals fed or the children sent to school, water had to be collected: water for drinking, cooking and the hygiene needs of her family of six. Day after day, Hem carried container after container along the mountain paths. During the dry season in particular, the springs dwindled, the journeys grew longer and her worry increased: would there be enough water for her family and their animals? In the rainy season, the water was often contaminated, and diarrhoeal illness was part of everyday life.
Today, Hem’s day begins very differently. She turns on the tap outside her home, and clean drinking water flows. “For the first time in my life, water is no longer my greatest daily worry,” says the 45-year-old with relief.

60,000 Litres Bring Peace of Mind

In just ten months, a gravity-fed drinking water supply system was built together with the village community. Under the guidance of our civil engineers and technicians, families worked side by side with the specialists. They dug trenches, carried pipes along mountain paths and helped build the supply system. Today, a protected mountain spring feeds a 60,000-litre reservoir. Underground water pipes reliably supply 168 households, home to 945 people, with clean drinking water all year round.

The time and energy Hem once spent collecting water now belong to her family. She looks after her two-year-old grandson, tends a vegetable garden and cares for the animals. Her daughter (14) can attend school regularly. Her son (21) and his wife (20) can work in the canteen of the district hospital in Golanjor without constantly worrying about the life-threatening water shortage at home.

Clean drinking water brings better health. Access to water frees up time for education and earning a living, and gives families a sense of security for the first time. Hem describes how life feels now: “Knowing that there will be enough water for all of us tomorrow gives me peace of mind.”

To keep the water system running in the long term, a water committee was established. Trained villagers take care of maintenance, repairs and day-to-day operation. For us, helping people to help themselves does not end when a project is completed — that is where it begins.

Gwaltar is one of 23 villages where Back to Life has worked with local people to build sustainable drinking water systems. Nearby schools have also been connected. More than 16,500 people are already benefiting.

You Can Help!

Water means life. With your donation or sponsorship, this human right can become a reality for more families in Nepal.
Sponsor a Birthing Centre ➜
Donate Now ➜
Namaste,
Yours,
Stella Deetjen