After the Well: Walking With TAP
When considering water accessibility, what first comes to mind is an experiment I watched Joshua Kurtz, CEO and Founder of The Ayin Project, perform to make a statement to a group of interns. He had two glasses of water. There was nothing remarkable about either of them. He then called up two interns and challenged them - “let’s see who can chug their glass of water the fastest”. As they lifted the crystal glasses to their lips, he gave a small disclaimer - one of the glasses was filled with water from the fountain in the hallway - the other he had scooped from a local creek that very morning. Once the interns realized there were potentially harmful contaminants in the water in their cup they were more hesitant to drink.
Sure, the interns had the water supplied to them. They trusted the provider, Josh. The water looked safe. It smelled safe. Yet there were potentially underlying issues with the water’s sources. The first vital step to closing the systemic gap of water accessibility is providing a means to access the water. But what comes after the well? A common misconception when approaching water accessibility issues is that once access is given, and infrastructure is developed, the process ends there. Yet it is the next step where TAP steps in.
Sule Gathers Water Sample Elijah and Lydia Taking Water Sample at Local School Team teaches soap making during monitoring and evaluation phase.
Utilizing the provided infrastructure, TAP gathers water samples and tests them - looking for contaminants ranging from pH imbalances to the presence of pathogens. Once any contaminants are identified, we can move forward into the next step of combating those hazards by implementing proper water filtration systems. Similarly to installing a well itself, water testing isn’t a one-and-done process. TAP doesn't just test a water source once. Our team continues to test and monitor each sources’ water quality, to ensure our partnering schools and communities are getting the safe water they need.
One of the most prominent challenges TAP faces regarding water accessibility is the lack of knowledge concerning its importance. In some cases, when the daily journey is a two mile round-trip on foot just to get a couple gallons of water, that water gets rationed. A designated amount goes towards cooking, another portion for cleaning, and another for drinking. But the importance of that water is not emphasized, so to the children - it is not vital. They don’t understand their body's need for it. Nor do they understand that untested and unmonitored water can be the source of illnesses they face regularly. Part of The Ayin Project’s mission is to adjust that misunderstanding and educate children on the importance of taking in a proper amount of clean, drinkable water each day. This has led TAP into a two year journey with twelve partner schools, embarking on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives. Although each of these twelve schools face their own individual water-quality challenges, the weight of the message remains the same.
Over time, we want to normalize clean, monitored drinking water being available in Ugandan schools.
The Ayin Project follows a positive cycle meant to create sustainable, meaningful change. We ask, we test, we listen, we learn, we return. We walk with - one step at a time.
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