Clean water for healthy children

The children are eager to get down to business. Today, drama is on the timetable at Nseue Primary School in northern Mozambique. Everyone takes their role seriously. It's about washing hands - and how to prevent illness.
Teacher Elias is watching the action with enthusiasm. He has been teaching at the school for 13 years, but he never expected a play to have such an impact. "The children wash their hands before and after eating - even after going to the toilet. We constantly need new soap," he explains. "They also explain to their families how important clean hands and clean drinking water are for good health."

Originally, the borehole in the village was supposed to supply around 500 people with water. However, due to the ongoing armed conflicts in the region, many refugees have arrived - today around 2,500 people live here.
"To draw water, many simply dig wells by hand," reports Antoninho from humedica's partner organization For Africa. "But the water is often contaminated because the wells have no cover. This allows dirt and bacteria to get in - and people get sick."

Thanks to the support of humedica donors, two new boreholes with secure covers have been built in the village. A so-called well committee - consisting of local residents - takes care of maintenance and cleanliness.
"We won't be here forever," explains trainer Eduarda. "That's why we are training the community so that they can take responsibility themselves in the long term." The concept works: The village community ensures that the wells are maintained and passes on their knowledge about hygiene.

The school also benefits directly: a new hand-washing station ensures better hygiene in everyday life. "Since we've had clean water, far fewer children have fallen ill," says teacher Elias proudly. "This experience is of the utmost importance to us."