The small primitive ponds (Caravan) are the only source for the majority of the population in the district of Al-Talah in the Governorate of Shabowah. The people get their needed daily supply of water for domestic use and for animals from these ponds (caravan). They rely on agriculture and grazing as the main sources of income in this district.

Polluted Water

Ni’amah Mohamed Thabet Jahaf, 35, is a housewife in the village of lower Al-Taleh, Ba-Fadhel. She speaks about the hardship she endures together with her counterparts in the village in fetching clean water for drinking and cooking. In order to obtain usable water, she has to carry out two processes: the first, is to clean the water from dirt and alga by using cloth screens normally used for mosquito covers. The second, she has to boil the water to make it useable for drinking and cooking. She said the water in the pond is polluted with alga and dirt  and has  taken on a different color.

In the preliminary stage of studying the area and its needs, PWP  concluded that the main priority for the area residents was a clean and sustainable water supply. Al-Talh village and nearby villages were lacking a sustainable and potable water source, especially in the dry season. A visitor will readily notice a series of ponds (caravans) in these areas, especially in higher grounds. These ponds facilitate water supply transported through plastic pipes to homes. However, these  ponds (caravans) cause the discoloration of water due to alga and shrubs prevalent in the area.

Benefits of the Project

PWP’s intervention in al-Talh district by expanding the ponds of Ku’aib and Shadlah aimed at strengthening stability of their livelihoods and to ease the hardships they endure in water transport. At the same time, according to Naser Mohamed Ba-Fadhel, this will reduce the laborious efforts made by women and children in fetching water from the remote ponds,
Ba-Fadhel confirms that once the water pond is depleted, the population of his village would have to seek out another one in the distance. They have to transport water on their backs, animals or in cars. If there is a delay in the rainy season, or short rainfalls, some of the people are forced to travel long distances to seek water elsewhere in the hinterland and valleys.

Clean Water

The hardships endured by the residents of al-Talh village is not confined to fetching water from distant ponds or travelling long distances to water sources, they are also forced to use polluted water, especially when the ponds dry up. One can readily  notice the pollution  of the water because of the discoloration.

Taleb Salem Ba-Fahdel, one of the beneficiaries, thinks that PWP’s intervention to expand the ponds of Shadlah and Ku’aib will soon lead to the availability of potable clean water and, at the same time, make it available throughout the year.

He adds, the ponds of Shadlah and Ku’aib are very close to the district capital, al-Talh, and this contributes to increased benefit. It’s not only al-Talh village and nearby Salomah and Ba-Fadhel villages which will benefit, villages located farther away will also benefit due to the fact that the ponds are in close proximity to the road. This would make it easy for the residents to fetch water by cars if their own ponds are depleted.