Water is the most essential need for every living being on this Earth.
Rajasthan is a state in India where the issue of water scarcity is more prevalent compared to other states. This problem is visible not only across Rajasthan but also in cities connected to the desert, such as Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and other areas.
After 76 years of independence, various governments initiated different plans to address this issue. These plans provided some relief to the general public in Rajasthan.
A similar water problem was being faced by the displaced tribal families coming from Pakistan and seeking refuge when Swati Goel Sharma, the founder of the Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, visited Gangana village of Jodhpur. She was distributing material to build homes for the refugee families when women informed her that the administration had demolished not only their homes but also water tanks they had constructed using cement.
The situation led women to walk up to 10 kilometers to fetch water and store it in the small containers they had. The lack of proper storage facilities posed continuous challenges for them.
A woman shared that they wanted to get water tanks, but the cost of one tank was more than 5,000 rupees. Tanks could be filled with water brought from a tanker.
While conversing with the young children of the same settlement, Mayur Bhosale, a member of the Foundation, asked a child if he wanted to play. Upon hearing the child’s response, everyone became extremely emotional. The child said that they don’t play much because they feel thirsty after playing and the drinking water gets exhausted.
After receiving information from the heart-touching conversations with children and the insights shared by women, we immediately began the initiative of arranging water tanks.
We brought 10 water tanks with a capacity of 1,000 liters each for the settlement. Each tank was distributed to households according to their needs.
When we arrived with water tanks in the shelter area, most men were engaged in work while women, like every day, had gone to fetch water. Only a few people were present in the settlement, and the majority were children. Upon seeing us lifting the tanks, the children themselves came forward to help us. After placing all the tanks in different locations, the children took a deep breath.
This initiative helped alleviate the problem of fetching water from a distance. The happiness on the faces of women expressed their relief.
Now, women could take care of their children at home, manage household chores, and even find some time for relaxation. Those who were contributing to household income could also participate in work during the day.
See the visuals below:
