The day the well is completed, you'll never have to beg for water again, never have to wait for a water truck.

The day the well is completed, you'll never have to beg for water again, never have to wait for a water truck.

The worst part of the dry season isn't the heat, it's the hard work, it's asking for help. You borrow water from your neighbor, they readily agree, but you still feel bad; you wait in line for ages for the water truck, having to smile and say nice things. Water comes, but you owe them a favor; no water, and you can't survive. That feeling is more exhausting than a whole day's work.

The day the well is completed, everything changes. You'll never have to beg again, never have to crane your neck waiting for a truck. Water is right at your feet, you can use it whenever you want, as much as you want. You won't have to be mindful of others' feelings, you won't owe favors, you won't have to walk miles for a bucket of water.

This feeling is called "standing tall." When a neighbor comes to borrow water, you readily agree, and you're happy; when the water truck passes by, you see them queuing, and you know you no longer need it. You are no longer someone waiting for help, but someone who can help others.

When guests come over, you can make tea without worrying about the cost; you can give the children a bath without rushing them; if the vegetable garden is dry, you can water it anytime. You no longer need to calculate how much you need today and how much you'll have left tomorrow. The water in the well is your confidence, your freedom.

The day you finished drilling the well, you no longer needed to ask others for water or wait for a water truck. From that day on, you only need yourself, and you only need your own tap.