Johuna's story

Johuna is a 40 year old widowed mother of three sons and one daughter. Her oldest son died seven years ago from typhoid and her husband died eight years ago. She has had to bring her children up alone.
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“When my oldest son was alive he worked on a farm and maintained our family. When he died I was so confused as to what I would do and how I would maintain my family as his was the only income,” she said.

“I have never had a pump; we have had to drink pond water as there was no money to buy water. If I wanted to use a pump I would have to go to other people’s houses, people could sometimes get angry with me for asking for water. Sometimes people would say the pump is broken or they would lock the door”.

(Note: If a door is open you can go in but if the door is closed you do not disturb people.) 

“Sometimes neighbours go to relatives houses—so no water for some time. Consequently we use a lot of pond water which causes a lot of disease”. (Probably where Johuna’s son got typhoid from). 

“We would go without water at times rather than go to the pond. We wash our clothes in the pond so it is not good to drink - but that’s all we have here. We know that drinking this water causes disease and also know that there is no money for a doctor, so we used the pond less and therefore no water at all.

Seeds of Growth have stepped in and provided a water pump and Johuna is now delighted.

“We can now drink pure water,” she says, “and we don’t have to go to another house to wash the dishes and clothes or shower, and in the rainy season there is no need to go to other pumps.” 

(This pump is placed outside her house). 

“So I am delighted. Drinking pond water was dangerous; now we have no need to worry about infection, and we do not have to put up with neighbours being nasty about us not having a pump. I will always help everyone who comes to this (communal) pump.”

​Having a pump helps Johuna to maintain her family. She looks after cows and goats and this brings in some income. She is so happy to have a pump she prays to God for the success of Seeds Of Growth. She says ‘I don’t know how many hairs are on her head but I pray that Catherine (Seeds of Growth) has a life as long as that number of hairs.”