The pool of water looked gloopy and warm and it was drying up quickly as another pastoralist arrived with his animals. “Word spreads fast”, said Enow. “It’s a constant competition between us and the animals. They have to drink too, otherwise they die”, he continued.
Enow confided in me that he often goes without water so his animals can drink first. “If we don’t have goats to sell we have nothing”, he said, before adding, “we know this water might not be safe, as animals are urinating in it, but what can we do? I have never seen the drought as bad as this, we are very worried about the future”.
Thankfully, Concern staff were on hand to provide the two neighbours with life-saving aquatabs to help sterilise the water and make it safe to drink. “I am happy that I have been given them, especially now since the water I have collected here is dirty”, Buddha said. But clean water was not her only worry.