The daily struggle for water in Mocimboa da Praia

 

Even before the sun rises, dozens of residents of Mocimboa da Praia are already on their way to the few available wells, searching for what should be a basic right: water. Carrying buckets and jerry cans, they form long lines, patiently waiting for each drop that slowly trickles from the manual pumps.

To fill a single bucket, sometimes, it takes more than 30 minutes. And when they finally manage to do so, the water they collect is not clean. Dirty and cloudy, it carries impurities that threaten health, but still, it is the only option for many.

Water scarcity has become a chronic problem in the village, deeply affecting the daily lives of the population. Maria, a mother of four children, explains that the routine of fetching water takes up much of her time. "I leave early, before preparing the children's breakfast. If I don't go right away, I risk not getting anything. But when I come back, the water is often dirty. I know it’s harmful, but what can I do?" She explains that, on the hardest days, she has to boil the water before using it, which means spending even more firewood or charcoal, another scarce and expensive resource for many families.

The impacts go beyond domestic use. The lack of water compromises hygiene, making sanitary conditions even more precarious. Children miss school because they need to help fetch the precious liquid, while small traders who depend on water, such as food vendors and laundresses, see their activities affected. "Without water, there is no life," laments Joaquim, an elderly man from the village, who recalls times when the wells had enough water to serve everyone.

The causes of this problem are multiple. Population growth, the degradation of some infrastructures, and climate change, which has reduced rainfall, have made the situation increasingly critical. And while residents struggle daily for every bucket of water, uncertainty about the future worries them. "What if tomorrow there is nothing left? What will become of us?" asks Manuel, who has lived in the village for years and has seen the situation progressively worsen.

Despite the difficulties, there is hope. Solutions such as drilling new wells, rehabilitating existing water supply systems, and investing in rainwater harvesting technologies could alleviate the suffering of the population. (Armando António)