Families in the Tamalas community, located in Zone 4 and 5 of the Tebakor area, have been facing severe water shortages for over two months. The crisis began shortly after the region experienced an earthquake, and since then, local residents have been forced to wake up as early as 1 a.m. each day to collect water for drinking and cooking.

Due to the ongoing shortage, families in the area are also resorting to using the nearby river along the Tebakor main road for laundry and bathing. However, the river’s water has raised health concerns, with several residents reporting skin issues among their children, such as scabies, rashes, ringworm, and eye infections.

Eslina George, a local mother, expressed her frustrations, saying, “At night when we sleep, we can’t rest peacefully because we have to think about getting up early at 1 a.m. to fetch water. It is the main priority of our day.”

Another community member, Delvine Kalo, shared similar concerns, saying, “The river helps a lot, but the children tend to get skin diseases after a week or so. We have no other choice.”

Although the community’s chief has requested assistance from UNELCO, which promised to provide two water tanks, no tangible help has been received thus far. However, the Red Cross has stepped in by supplying two water tanks, and the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has provided cartons of water.

Despite the hardships, Eslina remains hopeful, stating, “As a mother, seeing my children suffer without clean water is difficult, but we try our best.”

In a positive development, the community is working to install the two water tanks, with plans for their opening set for this weekend.