AFRICA - Democratic Republic of the Congo

Good gifts that keep on giving

Last October, fighting between rebel forces and the Congolese government came too close to home for Sifa Munyaba and her family. Sifa and her five-year-old son, Isaac, and one-year-old son, Henock, fled to a nearby community where they took refuge in a church.

When they first arrived, there was just one water spring within walking distance. Every morning, women like Sifa would leave their families to fetch water. They would return home, after several hours of walking and waiting in line, with just one jug of water—barely enough for daily tasks like cooking and cleaning.

The water was not safe to drink, but there was no other choice. Many suffered water-borne illnesses, and there was a high rate of child mortality.

Now, thanks to more than 100 water rehabilitation projects in the country, Sifa and her neighbors have access to clean, safe water that flows right into their village. There are big changes in Sifa’s day-to-day life. She is now freed from walking long distances and has more time to spend with her family.