Every human being deserves access to clean water. Yet for some impoverished countries, developing the infrastructure to provide water is not properly addressed. With almost 24 million people, Mozambique is one such nation – nearly 40% of its population lives without clean water.
To combat the water crisis, international organizations initially install water wells; however, over time, the internal pumps malfunction and must be repaired. The locals then become mechanics and rehabilitate the wells to a working condition. The communities then have a sense of ownership as opposed to entitlement, and the reward for their hard work - clean water once again.
The photographs' captions:
1. When water well pumps break, it may take months or years for organizations to address the issue. Here locals clear away debris from the well location.
2. During a pump repair, locals gather around a fence and curiously peer through its cracks.
3. A tiny local market has bottled water available for drinking. However, with little monetary income, locals choose to drink water from the well (adequate for health) or river / swamp water (usually polluted).
4. A water pump is usually a flourish of activity for remote communities.
5. Functioning wells bring fresh water to homes, but without sustainment and accountability, the efforts are a fleeting endeavor. More work must be done.
Eric Kruszewski is a self-taught, emerging photographer whose love of photography began in 2008 after his travels throughout India. The country's constant energy, true emotion, vibrant color, and pure culture inspired Eric to capture everyday life. His sense of curiosity and passion for photography take Eric across the globe where he immerses himself in people's lives and illustrates their life through the lens. His passion lies in finding simple moments in an otherwise busy and complex world. He hopes to tell stories about those who feel they may not have a "voice" and thus allow viewers to become lost in someone else's tale. Eric is based in Washington DC, but is currently in Toronto working on a documentary feature.
