Meet Ishimwe Yusto Balenga, an 11 year old boy from Nguruka ward, Kigoma, Tanzania. Ishimwe’s hometown has a population of about 56,000 people. Most of the residents of Nguruka are peasants and small entrepreneurs who sell local fish. There is no piped drinking water to Nguruka, forcing the residents to consume dirty water and walk for their water.
Ishimwe is a third grade student at the Nyangabo Primary Public School. To fetch water for his family, Ishimwe walks 2 km every day. After filling up a 5 gallon bucket and 1 gallon jug of water from the well, he pushes the water back home using a homemade wooden bicycle.
As a member of CLEAN’s Ripple Effect Team, you can help Ishimwe and the residents of Nguruka. Together with Ishimwe’s community, we are working to install nearby wells that will provide clean water and eliminate the daily walk for water. Together, we will give Ishimwe back his time to attend school and play with friends instead of spending his life fetching water.
