Part 5 - Joy Turns to Anxious Anticipation

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Yesterday I ended our installment with the jarring news that after seven hours of joy and hope in gathering water, people had to be turned away the following day.  The pumping trials had ended.  Instead, the team had begun loading tubing and other equipment  onto their lorries, in preparation for departure.  One single construction team member stood packing sand around a capped tube sticking out of the ground, the only proof of the borehole accessing water 180 meters below.    A few men and children watched as he placed a lock on the tube, and handed the keys to the village chief.

Who could have guessed that over the past many days, banging machinery had replaced the pounding of millet, camel yelps, and blowing wind?  Mothers asked Denis, "Do we have to go back to searching for water afar?  How much longer must we wait before we can drink this water?".... the same water that was so tangible and drinkable just the day before.   Denis wanted to answer "Right away", but instead had to respond, "We are working very hard to come up with the money needed to bring the water above ground, we hope before the height of the dry season".

The dry season has already hit the land, and Kijigari villagers have gone back to traveling 20 to 30 miles a day in 104 degrees F looking for water. 


TOMORROW: Part 6 - Making The Water Flow In Kijigari: What You Can Do 

Yours,

Ariane

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