my borehole brings all the boys to the yard!

here is a picture of my jerrycans (and cell phone charging atop). that's the term in uganda for these plastic containers which are used primarily for transporting water. running water is more prevalent here than i would have suspected, but a vast majority of people still live without access to such luxury. in my case, i live about a 5-10 minute walk from my borehole. that is the term for a hole that is bor-ed into the ground to yield water. the science behind it escapes me. all i know is that you pump a bit and water comes out. and when the water comes out, it usually ends up in one of thse jerrycans which are subsequently carried by hand, head, or bicycle back to where it will be used (e.g. home).

water was a constant struggle for me when i first arrived, because i had no help and could only carry about 20 liters (approximate daily need) at a time. but with some help, i have assembled a healthy supply of water so that i do not have to go fetch it every day. i must boil (and let cool) all of my drinking water to kill any bacteria that may be lurking invisibly, waiting to wreak havoc on my weak muzungu plumbing. and much to my pleasure...my borehole tastes great.