SPIDER MONKEYS

In Burraya, a village of 2,500 in Walikale territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), lack of water sanitation costs lives, as it does in many parts of the DRC. Because the only accessible spring near Burraya wasn’t protected from contamination, villagers suffered water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, amoebic dysentery, and cholera. These diseases are especially dangerous in remote areas, where health care is distant and travel difficult. In partnership with UGADEC (Union of Associations for Gorilla Conservation and Community Development in eastern DRC), JGI sensitized Burraya villagers to the importance of clean water and its relationship to improved health. We met with village leaders and other residents every month and also helped spread awareness through radio messages.

After a month of hard work, the village had a new well supplying 10 liters of clean water per minute. The benefits were immediately apparent, and in only a few months, the health center reported a reduction in water-borne diseases and overall improvement in villagers’ health.   Today the water source management committee is fully responsible for maintaining the purity of the source and operation of the well, and continues to educate people about the critical importance of clean water.