The Kantarawaddy Times Emergency Support Team (KTEST) has delivered water to some villages and IDP camps struggling with water shortages in eastern Hpruso Township, Karenni State.
Between March 16th and 21st, water was distributed to five villages and over 100 IDP households, totaling 234 households.
“These villages face water scarcity every dry season. They usually have to purchase water, taking on whatever work they can find to afford it. Now, after the coup, it’s even harder because their work opportunities have diminished. Traveling to water sources is difficult due to both security concerns and financial constraints, so they rely heavily on donors,” explained KTEST Chairman Maw Oo Myar.
Reports indicate that despite KTEST and other organizations’ efforts to distribute water in southeastern Hpruso Township, the need for water donations remains high.
“Some families are large, some small. The water we received lasts large families only two or three days, while smaller families can stretch it to five days. With our large family, we use three buckets of water daily just for cooking, out of the ten buckets we received. That doesn’t include laundry. When we run out, we have to walk to fetch more,” shared Daw Hla Paw, a local resident.
In the absence of water donations, some people resort to working as daily laborers to buy water. Others, without income, are forced to use contaminated water from the nearby Red Pound, Daw Hla Paw added.
The current water source, a spring, is experiencing low water pressure and depletion due to the increased number of users. Consequently, people must wait for hours to collect water in buckets.
“The water flow is very weak. After filling one bucket, you have to wait for an hour or two before filling another. It’s inconvenient and quite a distance to travel,” said a female IDP.
Currently, IDPs and local residents have to purchase drinking water at high prices, leaving those who cannot afford it dependent on water donations.
“I can’t walk to fetch water anymore. The water source is far, and it has dried up. It’s a relief to have donors like KTEST; otherwise, we would have to buy water, but we have no money. Finding work is also very difficult,” said another local resident.
The villages in eastern Hpruso Township experience annual water shortages. As the dry season continues, KTEST Chairman Maw Oo Myar emphasizes the critical need for continued water donations to support these vulnerable communities.
