Proud to Carry Your Bags

On June 22, we descended upon Yei with the largest group yet.

This was history in the making, but not because of the size of the group... 

When South Sudan became its own nation on July 9, 2011, the movement of people and money pouring into the newest nation on earth was unprecedented. Everyone wanted to be part of nation-building - constructing schools, roads, hospitals - all the ingredients for a productive, prosperous country. 

However, when the civil war broke out in December of 2013, it created a reverse process. Money, people, and ideas exited the country along with 1,000,000 refugees. 

What remained were those who were determined to hold high the flag of freedom and independence, the patriots who refused to let the vision of a free and independent South Sudan die. These are the weary, faithful, founding fathers and mothers of this new nation. 

These same local leaders earnestly waited for our group of 13 to land so they could welcome new ideas and energy into their homeland. This historic group included award-winning filmmakers eager to capture this critical story, world-leading visionaries piloting new technology for clean water in the newest country on earth, and trainers longing to see trauma diminished and hope elevated in the hearts and minds of people who have suffered long enough.

This was historic because the flow has been reversed from out to in, by not only the faithful but new partners as well. At Water is Basic, we are are able to use our long term investment in water in South Sudan to facilitate these relationships. While returnees are carrying jerry cans filled with clean water, we are carrying the bags of new partners filled with hope and renewed energy.

Today, five days after we celebrated the 243rd anniversary of the birth of the Great American Experiment, South Sudan celebrates its 8th year of independence. 

Thank you for standing up for this great nation. Thank you for making water available. Thank you for opening doors for us to carry the bags of new and vital partners. 

On this auspicious occasion, will you make a special gift to our work in South Sudan? We are raising an additional $30,000 this summer to make that extra push for water before the heavy rains of August.

Let’s celebrate! Give water now.

Bondh E Shams - The Solar Water Project Team

The Bricks Film Crew

still basic

Water is still basic. Let me explain why... 

Mary Araba was a resident of Lutaya before civil war broke out in 2013. She is 38 and married with 8 children. The older children left for safety to refugee camps in Uganda during the conflict. But mom stayed behind in Yei waiting for the moment she could return to her fields and bring her children back home.

While she waited, we refurbished. 
While she fretted, we planned. 
While she dreamed, we dreamed too.

That's why we invested over $100,000 in new and refurbished equipment last year.

We know that peace has come, that hope always rises, and we know that water is still basic for people like Mary and her family.

Mary is resourceful. While displaced, she earned an income by baking mandazi (African donuts) to sell in the market. But her passion is farming. She enjoys seeing the fruits of her labor, and the reward of her hard work allows her to pay fees for her small children to attend school. 

As soon as it was safe to return to Lutaya, Mary returned to work in her fields. But the local well was broken. 

Mary resorted to accessing water from a murky puddle in the ground that is reduced to mud during the dry season.

But now, thanks to our generous supporters, with a newly restored well, Mary has access to clean, safe water to drink, cook with, and enough to generously water her crops.

Mary firmly believes that by rehabilitating and drilling boreholes, many IDPs and refugees are going to return, and this brings her great joy.

Water is still basic even in the lean months of the summer. And our team is still making it happen.

As you travel, stay at home, go camping, or do whatever it is you do in the summer, help us keep doing what we do with an extra boost. $30,000 is the equivalent of doing 4 more wells. That's 4 communities who will receive the basics of clean water for the first time. 

So swim, eat s'mores, have fun doing all of the basics of summer! But while you do, please give generously to our friends in South Sudan so they can enjoy the very basics of life.

Let's put our new equipment to task and bring clean water to as many as possible this summer!

Kembe II

Charity Night is a single mother with 8 children who currently lives in Kembe II Community along with others who are internally displaced. She left her village of Spoiri at the beginning of 2017 during the civil war.

While she found shelter during that time, the water from the old well was corroded with rust. She could not afford to pay the fees at the neighboring borehole and resorted to fetching water from a nearby stream.

Currently, Charity farms a small abandoned plot of land to raise money for the family's basic needs and school fees for her children. The original owners fled to Uganda during the conflict.

Thanks to the generosity of partners and faithful donors, on January 18, the restored well opened for the community member of Kembe II to use.

Because all of the original members of the well committee fled during the war, a new committee is being formed with Charity as one of the members. She is proud to do her part on the team to ensure that the well is properly maintained to serve the community long-term.

With the message of peace spreading, Charity anticipates many more returnees to the community. She expressed heartfelt gratitude for the improved health her family will experience as a result of clean water and relief that she will now be able to fill the 12 jerry cans needed for her family with clean, fresh water every day without worry or struggle.

Thank you for giving the very basics of clean water to Charity Night and families in her community.

Esther is Home at Last

For the past few weeks, we’ve been getting to know some of the South Sudanese people who are finally able to return to their homes. Just like you and I, they want nothing more than to be at home.

Today there is peace in South Sudan. But peace must be fueled by hope. Hope that comes from clean water, schools, clinics with affordable medicines, food planted and harvested in your own field.

Because of the generosity of our donors, we were able to rehabilitate our rigs and equip our crews so we can continue bringing water and hope to sustain peace in 2019.  

With the continued support of people like you, now and through the next year, we can make sure the people of South Sudan have access to clean water to build on the hope they feel now.

People like Mama Esther Gaba.

Mama Esther left her village when it was invaded and burned by rebels. She fled with her children to the “safety” of the bush. But her unwavering spirit and family are back home now.

While in South Sudan a few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of celebrating with Mama Esther and her entire village as we repaired their well. Since our celebration with Esther, we have repaired another 15 wells! We will not stop till everyone drinks clean water in South Sudan.

That’s why we’re aiming to raise $140,000 by Dec. 31 through our year-end campaign, Home At Last. We are more than halfway there!

You can help restore hope and rebuild lives in South Sudan by making your year-end gift to Water is Basic today. There are thousands of mothers like Esther and they need clean water now more than ever. With your help, we can bring it to them.

Till they are all home at last,

Steve Roese