High in the hills of a remote village, families daily trek miles to find enough water to drink, cook and bathe — often coming back with just a few liters. In the mountainous village of Riwaldi, Papua New Guinea, this was the reality, until recently.
Now, thanks to a life-changing project by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, clean water flows freely, and the community is dancing in celebration. In villages across the South Pacific, from Vanuatu to Samoa, similar scenes of gratitude and joy are unfolding as clean water changes lives.
‘A way forward’ in Riwaldi, Papua New Guinea
Riwaldi, a remote village in southern Papua New Guinea, sits near the top of a mountain and has struggled for decades to find a clean, reliable drinking water source.
The Church recently completed a project bringing clean water to this drought-laden land, according to the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.
Ilagi Kema, a water project supervisor, explained that water is the most serious issue in the community.
“There is a problem in our community because we live in the high hills, and sometimes we find it difficult to find water,” he said.
Thanks to the Church’s recent donation, this problem has been alleviated. The Church funded a centrally located water well that provides stable, healthy water. New community restrooms were also part of the humanitarian project.
With students performing traditional dances and local leaders expressing gratitude and excitement for the project’s impact, the community gathered for a celebration on May 2.
Kema said: “Where there is water there is life. So, this is a way forward, and it is a blessing for our community for you to give this service to us.”
‘Lasting improvements’ in Tanna, Vanuatu
Traditional dances, water games and smiles filled communities on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, as clean water finally flowed to villages in need.
For many people throughout the South Pacific, accessing clean water is a daily challenge that impacts quality of life.
A community project by the Church in partnership with Vanuatu Agriculture Supply brought safe, clean water to the communities of Naluken, Iwel, Lpangnuing, Kohokawite, Ikiin and Loukamal, reported the Church’s Pacific Newsroom on April 25.
Before the project, some of the villagers walked kilometers daily to carry water back for cooking, cleaning and bathing children.
According to a Church Pacific Newsroom release in February, the Church assisted with design, materials and training while the community provided labor to install the system. This included building water collection boxes, digging and burying piping and installing large water tanks, solar panels and village taps.
Church humanitarian missionaries helped community members learn to work and maintain the systems, meeting immediate needs and contributing to long-term community well-being and development.
The project also supports the Naluken Junior Secondary School, benefiting over 300 students and fostering a healthier, more sustainable learning environment.
Those from the Central Tanna Area Council expressed gratitude: “Through these collective efforts, the Central Tanna community is experiencing positive change, and we express our deepest appreciation for the invaluable support. … Together, we are creating lasting improvements in health, sanitation and livelihoods.”
‘Water for life’ in Savai’i Samoa
“Water for life” — words many Pacific Islanders know all too well — reads a large sign on the side of Sataua Primary School on the Samoan island of Savai’i. Many residents face the reality of little to no fresh water for drinking, cooking or bathing.
Elder Brian and Sister Lori Bott, senior missionaries in Samoa, frequently encounter families, schools and entire villages that struggle to find enough clean water.
With their help, 900 villagers and 1,000 students now have a reliable source of clean water, reported the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.
“We know how important it is to have clean water, and we feel so blessed to be just a small, small, little part of the Church’s efforts to bring water — to bring blessings to the people of Samoa,” said Elder Bott.
The Vaisigano 2nd District, the Samoan Ministry of Health and the Church came together to provide two 10,000-liter water tanks for Sataua Primary School and an additional 206 2,000-liter water tanks for homes in the surrounding villages of Fagasa, Sataua and Papa Sataua.
Sister Bott added, “Water is part of it, but anything to do with the health or education of the Samoan people, and to let them know of God’s love for them — that’s what we’re about.”
Previously, Elder and Sister Bott also helped the Sataua Primary School with classroom desks, library shelves and floor tiles to improve hygiene and learning conditions.
