Have you ever thought about the value of a garden hose?
I never gave it much thought. I cannot recall a time when I did not have access to a hose or (more importantly) water when needed.
The first time we visited Lindiwe's homestead, she was watering her garden. Lindiwe was one of the fortunate villagers who had a water tap at her homestead. Most of the families in Nkandla still have to travel to get water every day.
Water is a vital resource. It is needed for virtually every aspect of living. Gathering water for basic needs (cooking, cleaning, laundering clothes) on a daily basis is a daunting task. I am told by those in Nkandla, that fetching water often has to be repeated each day. Those responsible must walk great distances, usually down into a ravine or valley where the river is, to fill their buckets. Then, they lift the gallons of water on to their heads and begin the uphill journey home.
So, for Lindiwe, having a water source at the homestead cut out hours of work each day. It also made it easier to maintain the garden, providing a much needed food source for her family.
As we approached, we saw that Lindiwe had a very short hose (less than 3 feet) that did not reach her garden. Lindiwe devised a method of watering her garden that was rather clever. At the point where the hose stopped, a narrow trench was carved in to the dirt, extending all the way to the garden. It ended at a deep hole that served as a reservoir. From there, Lindiwe and her daughter filled the buckets with water to feed the thirsty plants. This too, was backbreaking work even for the healthiest, strongest among us. I cannot imagine how exhausting this must have been for Lindiwe who was HIV positive. It was 2005, and the antiretroviral medicines had not reached Nkandla yet. Lindiwe was pretty sick, but she pressed on with the help of her daughter.
We knew right away that there was a simple solution that could lighten Lindiwe's load (and her daughters.) We visited the local hardware store and bought two garden hoses. We joined the hoses and attached a spray nozzle. We delivered this tool a few days later and Lindiwe was so grateful. Of course, her daughter was thrilled, running down to water the garden with her new toy.
Who would have thought that a garden hose would mean so much? I never did. But it just goes to show that sometimes the littlest things make the biggest differences.
