Walk before you wash

Moses starts his day with a steep climb – at 6.30 in the morning!

He has to collect water so that he can wash before school. It's only a five minute walk to the pipe, but the return journey is up a steep hill and the jerry can is heavy. What's more, he has to go and collect water again in the evening.

But Moses is happy to go. 'Before we had the pipe, I had to fetch water that wasn't clean. If we didn't boil it, we became ill,' he says.

The water is kept clean using a rock and concrete tunnel, and it flows along a small pipe to where Moses collects it. This protects it from animals and other things that can make it dirty. An organisation that Christian Aid works with, called BIDII, showed the people where Moses lives how to keep the water clean like this.

Many people in Kenya think collecting water is a girl's job. But Moses lives with his grandmother and two uncles so he has to do it!
'My friends think it's cool to be different, so they copy me and help their sisters to collect water too!' says Moses.

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Christian Aid/Elaine Duigenan

Moses on his way home with some water

Christian Aid/Elaine Duigenan

Moses at the pipe where he collects his water