Idah is an elderly woman living near a primary school in the Mbarara District of Uganda. She purchased her own bob®, the domestic rainwater harvesting bag developed by Relief International’s EnterpriseWork’s division, about a year ago. Idah owns two cows, dozens of chickens and one pig, which she uses for her family’s needs as well as selling the milk, eggs and animals when possible in her community.
Idah is too old to travel long distances back and forth from her home every day carrying 40 pound water containers. As there was no clean, reliable water source near her house, she had to ask boys in the village to help her.
“I would get headaches directing the boys to get water for my cows and chickens as they would always have an excuse or they had to work in their own fields. I did not even have clean and safe water in my house. I had to struggle harvesting water using small jerry cans and this old metallic tank,” Idah reveled.
Ever since Idah purchased the bob® rainwater bag and installed at her home early last year, her life has drastically improved.
“I remember the first time the rains came when I had bob®. Now, during the rainy seasons, I am able every day to give water to my two cows with their two calves, plus water is available for my chickens and I give some to my pig. Generally I have clean and safe water,” she proudly says.
She also adds that students in the nearby school come visit her home just to drink from bob®.
“About 10 students come under the guise of visiting me but end up asking for drinking water from bob®”, she says chuckling.
The head teacher at the nearby school, Miss Byarugaba Catharine admits it all. “Our students always visit Idah’s home looking for drinking water during the lunch time. I even benefit. She is very nice and gives me twenty liters of the water per week during the rainy season.”
Idah thinks back to her days before bob® and after a long conversation with our team in Uganda she summarizes it all by saying: “The rainwater bag, bob®, has been a blessing for our family.”
To learn more about bob®, the domestic rainwater harvesting bag developed by Relief International’s EnterpriseWorks division, please click HERE.