Let them bloom – Give them water

My daughter asked me some very pertinent questions in April this year. “Amma, why did Appé Lanka give bikes to school children before they gave water?”
“Why did you give solar home systems to one cluster village and identify another 1000 homes that did not have energy, before you addressed the issue of water?”
“Why did you start a Sport for Unity, and an Art and Drama for unity initiative or train counselors to work in the schools in Poonakary dealing with issues like PTSD before giving water?”
“Why did you launch the English for All program hoping to teach students an international language? Isn’t water more important than anything else? Shouldn’t Appé Lanka have dealt with the water issue first?”
I thought about it and realized she was right. Why hadn’t Appé Lanka given heed to one of the most important needs – water?
I had been working in Poonakary for four years. I had heard comments like, “Shaan, you can’t stay in Poonakary, you will have to stay in Kilinochchi: there is no usable water here.” I had seen water bowsers distribute water when we were conducting our drama and art workshops or installing solar panels. I have had conversations with villagers who told me that during the rainy season when browsers couldn’t reach them, they collected rainwater in plastic containers. But the fact that there was no usable water went over my head for far too long a time.
Now looking back, I think it was something I could not conceive of or wanted to accept. How could there be no usable water in a country like Sri Lanka, especially in Poonakary, which means “Village of Flowers”.
The “No usable water” situation started bugging me, irking me. Every time I opened a tap or filled the kettle to make my morning cup of coffee, or stood under the shower for longer than I should, I thought of the Poonkarians with no usable water.
The Appé Lanka team galvanized their school partners, urging people to join them to give people in Poonakary what you and I take for granted – usable water.
Water purifying systems have been installed in six schools, in just 6 weeks; just 18 more need to be installed.
To think all we need is USD 10 from 5,000 persons and all 6,410 students can have what you and I take for granted – usable water.