Yafang lives in a small and drought-prone mountain village in China with her parents, younger sister and younger brother.
To support the family of five, Yafang’s father had to leave for other places to work, and was only home every two or three months.
Yafang’s mother shouldered all the farm work. Chief among their difficulties was having to fetch water.
Yafang gathering water from an underground cistern.
There was only one well that served as the water source for the entire village. It took villagers at least half an hour to walk there as the road was rugged. Usually, half of the water would spill along the way.
“The water my mother carried back was only enough for drinking,” says Yafang.
According to villagers, when rain was ample, they could fill one bucket with water within half an hour. But when drought hit, the well, their only source of water, would dry up. Therefore, they had to purchase water from elsewhere, which was a very heavy financial burden on their already strained purse strings.
In order to solve the water problem, World Vision started a Cistern Project, helping villagers to build cisterns to store rainwater. Yafang’s family was among the beneficiaries.
“Ever since we have the cistern, I don’t have to trudge to get water. Now, I have more time to do farm work and take care of the children,” says Yafang’s mother. The family is also no longer reliant on the external water supply and have enough finances for the children's other basic needs.
Both Yafang’s younger brother and sister have entered primary school and Yafang’s mother's water burdens are relieved. She can now spend more time focusing on her children too.