In many areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), clean water is a scarce and highly sought-after resource. In the Faradje region in particular, families have for many years relied on the Dungu River, using its untreated water for cooking, drinking, bathing, and washing their clothes.

This is a dangerous business. Wild animals frequent the Dungu’s banks, and the river is filled with bacteria and other contaminants. For years, the waterborne illnesses that spring from its use have threatened the lives of their little ones.

For women like Esther, whose sole water source was the river, it was an answer to prayer when Samaritan’s Purse water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) teams arrived in the area. Over the last three years, teams have constructed four boreholes, enabling families to access clean drinking water within a short walk of their homes.

The project reminds families that they’re not alone and that God sees them and loves them. It inspires Esther to praise God for His provision.

“We thank God for this because it’s His work, not ours,” she said.

Our WASH teams also help in more populated areas, such as Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province.

Many schools in Bunia cater to the children of displaced families who have fled their homes because of conflict in other parts of the country. We serve these vulnerable ones by providing their schools with clean water and latrine systems. We also train the students and staff in proper hygiene and sanitation, providing them with handwashing stations to cut down on the spread of communicable diseases.

These simple practices have kept the precious groundwater free of waste and safe to drink.

“For us, it’s not just about giving water to satisfy the physical thirst of our beneficiaries,” said Robert Congdon, Samaritan’s Purse country director in the DRC. “More importantly, it’s about connecting them with the water of life that is Jesus Christ.”

Another villager in Faradje named Tabita said the WASH programmes in her community have helped bring stability to the area and have introduced people to the love of God.

“At night and during the day, we draw water without fear,” she said. “We have been grateful to Samaritan’s for their work. We were suffering, but now we are really grateful. There have been changes in me and in my neighbours and many others. The village is at peace. We have peace in Jesus Christ.”