My name is Awa, I am 25 years old.

Growing up I have seen the effect of water scarcity in the village. If you live here, you will know that water is gold.

We have to walk very far to get water now. Even if you get to the river, it will be dry, so you have to go to another village. Sometimes you will have to go days without your bath, keeping the little you have for cooking.

When my sister wanted to give birth at the clinic, there was no water in the hospital. So we had to go and fetch water ourselves because the nurse said they needed water.

When my period started, I think I started truly understanding that there is big trouble. I bleed and now there is no water to wash the cloth. So even though it’s not comfortable, I go very far into the bush to throw away the cloth because of the smell. But there is nothing you can do about it [if there’s no water].