Water is Basic

Clean water restored in Malek, Warrap State, South Sudan.

Thanks to the Tiaraliet women-led repair team, the Amuol Borehole near Mangar Lual Primary School is flowing again. Led by Rebecca Adut Arol, the team fixed it in just 3 days, bringing clean water to ~120 households.

Before this, families walked 30 minutes just to collect water. Now it’s safe, reliable, and nearby—all because local leadership + community teamwork = solutions that last.

📍 Malek County, Warrap State
🛠️ Well repaired: Nov 8, 2025

Standing with women restoring clean water—one well at a time.

In 2026, we mark two decades of working alongside communities in South Sudan.

Some of you have been part of this journey from the start; others are joining us for the first time. Together, you’ve made it possible for clean water systems to be maintained, repaired, and sustained over time.

This progress continues because of long-term commitment — from communities leading solutions on the ground, and from supporters who know change takes years, not moments.

We’re filled with gratitude as we look ahead to celebrating this milestone together in April.

A note from Water is Basic supporters who saw the work firsthand this year…

Hi everyone,

Our travel to South Sudan changed our lives and won’t be our last.

In September, we traveled to South Sudan to learn more about Water is Basic. It was our very first time on the African continent — and honestly, we had no idea what to expect. The journey alone was an adventure: nearly 24 hours to reach Nairobi, followed by two more flights on small planes, and hours spent in a car bouncing over dirt roads from village to village.

And then we arrived… and everything shifted.

We met people who have lived through decades of conflict, those who survive with almost no infrastructure, and individuals carrying weights we can barely imagine. They often have no access to clean water, inadequate sanitation, and limited food supplies. Life expectancy is only about 52 years.

And yet — the people of South Sudan were warm, welcoming, resilient, and full of a kind of joy we didn’t expect. They greeted us like family.

Then we saw the part that truly stunned us:

✨ Women repairing wells
✨ Women leading cooperatives
✨ Women earning income and transforming entire villages

In a culture where leadership has traditionally been dominated by men, watching women trained by Water is Basic confidently dismantle and rebuild wells — it was groundbreaking. And it works. We watched it working.

Villagers were thrilled to welcome the Water is Basic team. Their gratitude was overwhelming. Thai even had the chance to offer some dental care while we were there — a small act, but it opened beautiful doors to connection.

We came home changed. Deeply so.

We highly support your generous gifts to Water is Basic. It’s worth seeing up close. It’s worth being part of. It’s also worth supporting.

Our on-the-ground experience has confirmed what we had only heard about, and we wholeheartedly recommend your support this year-end.

With gratitude,
Steven Roth & Thai Tran

👉 Give today: waterisbasic.org

YearEndGiving

Here’s the truth we don’t say often enough:

Every single day a well remains broken, women and girls lose hours just walking for water.

Hours stolen from school.
From work.
From planting and harvesting.
From rest, safety, and dignity.

But when a woman in South Sudan becomes a trained pump mechanic—
✨ something flips.

Time starts flowing back.

Maria gave 40 communities their time back last year.
Asunta’s repairs helped fund her children’s future.

And in 2026, women across four states will prove one simple truth:

If you want to change the world, start with what the world can’t live without.

💥 2026 is the year we take this model to two more entire states—doubling the number of trained women mechanics.
But only if we hit the numbers that get us there.

🎯 We need $300,000 by December 31
⏳ We’re $66,651 away from starting 2026 right.

If you’ve been waiting—this is the moment.

Let’s not surrender one more day to the walk.

🎄 Give the gift of time this Christmas.
Restore time. Restore futures.

👉 Make your Vision 2030 year-end gift (link in bio)