Kunta & Durga

Kunta and Durga, who are 12 and 7 years old, must walk four hours to collect water, which means waking up at 5:00am. Then they support their mother in tending to millet and guar crops, which are among the only crops that can survive the intense heat of the desert.

Kunta and Durga’s mother explained that their lives would be much easier if they had a rainwater harvesting tank.

Now, the family’s wishes are coming true thanks to generous donations from OneProsperU York University and the Richa & Atul Aggarwal Foundation. Their rainwater harvesting tank with biosand water filter will be completed by January 2018. In addition, Kunta and Durga will each receive school supplies, bicycle and tuition for attending school. Also, their family will be able to grow vegetables using the Khadin method.

As a result, Kunta and Durga will be able to focus on studying rather than collecting water.

Kunta and Durga’s mother, Shanti Devi, was not able to attend school during her childhood. Shanti Devi smiles when asked how she feels about her daughters Kunta and Durga attending school. Beaming with joy, she explains that her daughters have started to teach her to read and write.

Previously, Shanti Devi and her daughters would fetch water from a pond located 2 km from their home. They used to make 7 trips per day in the extreme heat. Now, their brand new taanka can store enough water for meeting their family needs for 7-8 months.

Shanti Devi is also growing vegetables, fruits and cereals using the Khadin farming method. This method uses rainwater to increase crop yields. Shanti Devi tells us that her daughters are bright students and are learning to ride bicycles. Kunta’s uncle is full of pride while explaining how their taanka and khadin will enable Kunta and Durga to secure a brighter future. Shanti and her family are grateful to all for the generosity provided to them.