It’s that time of year when we look back and take stock of the countless journeys taken to remote villages, challenges faced (and overcome) along the way, and most importantly – smiles brought to faces of those long underserved.
In this tapestry of radiant smiles, one that stands out is Deepika’s. A mother of three rambunctious boys, her beaming joy encapsulates the transformative impact of our mission. Hailing from the dusty alleys of Thotapally village, she vividly recounts the hardships that defined her life until a pivotal moment – the installation of a water purification center just a stone’s throw away from her humble abode.
The day was Januray 5th, 2023. She wasn’t sure how this ‘manchi niti plant’ (translation: clean water plant) she kept hearing about is going to change anything. In the days leading up to the installation, her family was visited by a CPW Community Engagement representative who educated them on the dangers of consuming contaminated water and how the plant’s purified water could make a positive change in their lives. Intrigued, she decided to try the ‘good’ water for a month.
She fondly recalls how different the taste of the water was than what she was used to – “it tasted pure”, she says. She started using it for cooking as well and swears that her food tasted better too! Over the course of the month, she noticed that her young kids didn’t fall sick, a stark departure from their frequent bouts of diarrhea and past struggles with typhoid. This marked a remarkable shift in their wellbeing and as a result, in her perspective.
It didn’t take long for her and her husband to realise that purified water was the catalyst behind all the positive changes they were observing. The most immediate improvement for her was that she no longer needed to walk to the nearby village to collect borewell water now that purified water was available a few steps away. This freed up several hours in her day to work in the fields and care for her family.
Worldwide, women and girls spend 200 million hours every day to collect water. PIcture source: theasian.asia
Today, after taking a few sips of that clean, safe water to hydrate after working under the sun all morning, Deepika ends her midday break to return to the fields where she harvests vegetables for sale at the local market. Back at her home, her boys experience what Deepika and her husband always hoped to give them— good health so they can thrive and be regular at school.
Deepika can’t help but smile when she talks about the water plant – “Now we drink only clean water from our water center.”
With your unwavering support, Community Pure Water has set up new water purification centers in 28 villages, 6 rural schools and 1 rural hospital in 2023, serving 90,000 people who were previously deprived of the fundamental right that is access to clean water.
Deepika’s story is one where donors like you ensured a happy ending. Yet, the sad reality persists that not everyone in rural India shares the same fate. Together, we can help rewrite their stories and create countless more healthy homes and bright futures.
