We have inspected the village’s drinking water and, from the water quality inspection in Ratchaboot Village, we found that the water the villagers use is not clean. This may have negative effects on the health of the community. To urgently solve this problem, we invited the villagers to a meeting to find a solution.

Surprisingly, both children and adults expressed that they had never known the water they had been drinking for over a decade was unsanitary. Upon inspecting the water storage facility, we observed a complete lack of protection against external contamination. This immediately clarified for the villagers why many in the community frequently experienced diarrhea and stomach upsets during the rainy season.

During the meeting, voices from both children and adults echoed the question: “What can we do about this problem?” Following this, everyone began to brainstorm ideas for establishing a clean and safe water system for the community. Additionally, our Transformational community Development (TCD) team shared two methods that the community can immediately use to make their water safe for drinking: boiling and solar disinfection.

While this water testing process began with the small tools we possessed, the true transformation of water quality from this point forward will be driven by the community’s collective efforts. Although the water may not be clean immediately, this marks a crucial starting point for planning and developing a clean water source within the community, by the community, for the community.

Thank you!

Written by Nut, GHNI TCD Worker