Delorme (12) ‘Water is a blessing!’

Today, you have probably done it several times already: opening the tap. After which clean water came out. For the twelve year old Delorme Naika from Haiti this is not so easy. She tells openly how big a role water plays in her life.

‘I live in a small village in Haiti, where getting water is a recurring task every day. We have to walk a long distance to get water. I often go with my brothers. The way going there I don’t mind that much, but it is hard work to carry the water back home. Still we go every day again, because we have no choice. We need the water to drink, to cook and to wash ourselves and our clothes.

Delorme is a pupil at one of the schools of Parole et Action, a partner organization of Woord en Daad. Her school works on improved hygiene, safe drinking water and good sanitation. ‘It is nice to have water at school’, she tells. ‘I can drink as much as I want and can wash my hands. Moreover, the water is safe because it is treated with purification tablets. Yet, there has not always been water at our school. Before, we bought bottles of water and took them to school, to drink. It saves my parents money now that it is no longer necessary.

The lessons in hygiene also help Delorme. ‘Thanks to these lessons I know what are bacteria. The teacher explains how we can prevent bacteria from making us ill. For instance, by washing our hands after using the toilet and by cooking or treating water before drinking it.

We wish everyone a healthy future! And a healthy future starts with a clean life. That is why Woord en Daad is committed to the campaign ‘Wonderschoon’ (wonderclean) from October to December. This campaign focuses on clean drinking water, good hygiene and functioning sanitation for children and adults in Ethiopia, Uganda, Bangladesh and Haiti. Are you in as well? Read more on the start page of the campaign.