In 2004, there was a school in Paynesville in Liberia needing a well. One of our conditions for providing a well by the school was that it would also provide safe water for surrounding residents. This agreement sounded fair, and everyone was happy to get the water. The school janitor, Ma Sarah, was trained as the Well Caretaker and the well was successfully drilled.
Within a short time, unexpected problems began. People started littering food wrappers all over the school yard. Some people were even using a corner of the play ground as a toilet! Ma Sarah was spending more and more time monitoring people as well as the pump.
As word of the good-quality water spread, crowds of women with buckets continued to grow. At its best, the school yard became a place for loud laughter and animated social gatherings. At its worst, the yard was a place for intense arguments, threats and altercations. Teachers had trouble teaching because of the loud noise outside their classroom windows, and at recess, the children’s playground was increasingly spoiled.
It became impossible for Ma Sarah to take care of her janitorial duties, monitor the pump, and control the people. She finally exercised her Pump Caretaker authority and took decisive action. The pump was locked from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the exception of short openings for students during recess. Community members could draw water before and after school, but if the yard was unacceptably soiled, there would be no community access to water.
Teachers could now teach. Students had cool water at recess. Ma Sarah could peacefully clean the school. And neighbourhood women began to police each other’s activities rather than be without access to the water their families needed.
This is pretty much as close as you can get to a “happily ever after” ending!
