Birtukan is a farmer, wife, and mother. She lives in the Malga district of Sidamo, Ethiopia.

Water to Thrive built a well in Birtukan’s village this past year. “Before construction of this well,” Birtukan said, waterborne diseases like “amoeba, cholera, and typhoid were common illnesses. Travelling to the nearby clinic took more than four hours round trip and it costs on average 500 birr per person.”

Not only did the dirty water source cause illness, but the daily journey for water was dangerous. “Gender violence, abduction and rape were also common in our area,” she said, “especially when women and young girls travelled to water points in late afternoon.”

Now Birtukan only walks minutes to a safe water source. “Thank God! The situation is now changed and our lives are rescued because of the gift of this water. I just want to say thank you!”