Sanata is a mother of four in Banfora, Burkina Faso who spends two hours each day fetching water since her home does not have a tap. She dreams of having running water installed at her home to gain more freedom and time. The city of Banfora, which is projected to grow significantly in population by 2030, experiences water problems that affect all residents. The Mayor and city council are aware of the shortcomings of the existing water system and are working to improve it to address the difficulties faced by those without direct access to clean drinking water like Sanata.

1. Supporting water sanitation
and hygiene services for life
October 2018
Sanata dreams of
a tap in her yard
A photo story from Banfora by
Anne Mimault, IRC Burkina
Faso

2. Sanata (35), mother of four, works as a cleaner in a health centre in Banfora.
She gets up at 4:30 every morning and walks half an hour to fetch water.
When the pumps is broken, she has to walk half an hour more.

3. Sanata dreams of having a tap in her yard which delivers clean drinking water
at any time of the day. Having a tap will give her more freedom because then
she no longer has to spend two hours a day fetching water.

4. The councillors at Banfora City Hall are aware of the difficulties that inhabitants
of the district face. How they affect people’s health and economic life. Water
problems affect everyone, old, young, men, women, able-bodied and disabled.

5. Banfora is an urban municipality with a population of around 154,000 (2017),
which is projected to grow to 235,000 by 2030. It is located on the road from
Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina’s second largest city) to the border of Ivory Coast. It
has a thriving economy and people from different origins.

6. Water problems affect everyone in Banfora. There is an existing water system
and the Mayor and his councillors are aware of its shortcomings. Their
challenge is to establish how the system can be improved and to develop a
plan to address all the problems.

7. Today Sanata hopes the Mayor will be able to mobilise different kinds of
partners who can help to improve Banfora’s water system. So that finally, she
and her family can lead their lives without the drudgery of fetching water every
day.

8. Visiting address
Bezuidenhoutseweg 2
2594 AV The Hague
The Netherlands
Postal address
P.O. BOX 82327
2508 EH The Hague
The Netherlands
T +31 70 3044000
info@ircwash.org
www.ircwash.org
Supporting water sanitation
and hygiene services for life