A Drop of Hope
For 25 years, World Hope International (Canada) has been committed to empowering the vulnerable, partnering together to create sustainable transformation that will last for generations. Introducing clean water in villages that do not have access to a safe water source is one of the ways we do that. We are always excited to share stories of transformation and to say thank you to those who make this possible. This story is an account from a girl whose life has been transformed by nearby clean water. Meet Assanatu and hear her story.
Clean Water for Assanatu
I am a student in a junior secondary school. I live in a small village in Sierra Leone. Before the well came to our community, I woke up very early (around 6 a.m.) sometimes even before the sun came up. I walked a long distance of about one mile to fetch water with my siblings. The journey was tiring because the place where we collected water was up a hill. The water wasn’t always clean when we fetched it. Often, there were leaves, frogs, and dead insects in it.
By the time I got back home, I was already late for school, and I often missed the devotional class. Sometimes, I didn’t go at all. But everything changed when World Hope International (Canada) and The Wesleyan Church drilled a deep-borehole well in our village.
Now, the well is just a short walk from our house. The water is clean and safe. I no longer spend hours carrying heavy buckets up and down the hill. Thanks to having access to clean water, I can get ready for school on time. I don’t worry about snake bites anymore. Now, I wear a clean uniform to school, and I even have enough time to study. Because of this well, I arrive at school early, and I pay better attention because I’m not so tired.
Thank you, World Hope International (Canada) and the Wesleyan Church, for giving us clean water.
With all my heart, thank you.
— Assanatu
You didn’t just give us a well, you gave me the chance to focus on my studies and to encourage other young girls to go to school and dream big.
A Brighter Future
There are many children like Assanatu whose educational journeys are being adversely affected by the lack of nearby safe water. When clean water is introduced in a village, children are afforded the opportunity to attend school, which allows them to hope, dream, and work toward a better future.
Learn more about World Hope International’s Clean Water and Energy Pillar. Access to safe water is a concern for many around the world and it is the 6th Sustainable Development Goal of the UN.