The market town of Mudaka is the location of Asili’s third clinic and water kiosk, where customers can purchase clean and delicious Asili water. There’s a primary school directly across the street from the kiosk, and when school lets out hundreds of kids come streaming through the school doors in their crisp white shirts blue bottoms, their backpacks filled with notebooks and lessons of the day.
Before Asili, these kids had to walk miles to get water for their households. And, the water they got was nearly always contaminated and a real risk to their health and their future. These kids face a lot of challenges. But having access to clean, safe water to drink shouldn’t be one of them.
So on Day 39, the Asili team decided that they could do one simple thing to help encourage these kids to stay in school – give them a free drink of water after class.
Asili is a business. But although we normally offer water only for purchase, there are some circumstances where doing the doable – getting safe water to those who need it most – is our biggest priority. Especially when kids are involved.
When the schoolkids learned that they could have a refreshing cup of water, they gathered around the kiosk, waiting their turn to drink. The excitement was clear – this was a real treat at the end of a long day.
It may seem very small, but sometimes having a little extra encouragement, a little generosity, can go a long way. The promise of a refreshing glass of water could very well help kids get through the day. And sometimes kids come from very long distances to get to school – that glass of water could make the trek to and from school that much easier.
When it’s not something you’re accustomed to, having access to clean water can completely change your life. It’s true for the community in Mudaka, and it’s true for people everywhere. Including the Asili team on the ground. Tomorrow, we’ll see how access to Asili water is changing the team’s lives too – and how they show Asili pride in the process.
