Eighteen-year-old Kadija owns a café in Lalibela, an Ethiopian town that has suffered greatly as a result of droughts caused by the El-Nino weather phenomenon. Her business and personal life are recovering beacuse of a water pump installed by Plan International.
She said “I used to walk for 6 hours every day to fetch water. I’d carry 3 jerry cans of about 25 litres at a time,” says Kadija. “I did this each and every day. My business was failing because I needed clean water for the coffee, tea, cooking and cleaning.”
She says: “Since the water trucking and pumps have arrived near my village, it takes me 10 minutes to collect clean water. I can stay open every day. I’ve already seen how my business has benefited and I am now making about 1,000 birr (€40) in net profit each month.”
As a result of this success, Kadija is now thinking of expanding her business.
