A couple of months ago we blogged about a recent grant from Global Goods Partners to one of our groups in Swaziland, Gone Rural. The project is coming along, and we thought you’d like to hear an update on how it’s going. Gone Rural’s ready to start the drilling and installation of water pumps this week and will open them for use in early October. Here’s an account of her experience visiting the project site from Julie Nixon, the head of Gone Rural:

Yesterday I went to visits Lavumisa 1 and popped in to see Lav 2 along the way. After our talk and prayers two women asked me for a lift back. One had a very sickly 18-month-old little boy who has suffering with vomiting and diarrhea, I am guessing that he is sick from dirty water.

In the car I had a bottle of water, which I gave to his mum. He lay with his head on her breast not even suckling but he seemed interested in the blue bottle.

His mum gave him a sip of the water and the look on his face was incredible. This may have been the first time he had ever drunk clean water

It was like he was drinking nectar.

By the time we reached Mata he had drunk about a quarter of the bottle and was sitting up, holding the bottle himself. I even got a radiant smile.

It brought home to me again that we should be more grateful. Clean water for all of us is a concept that we take for granted. Please can we push water up our agenda and make it a priority.

It may save lives in the future.