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Water is a necessity for life and the challenge of providing themselves with water is one that the Congolese face everyday. Tradition and experience have shown the Atetela people of Central Congo that healthy living requires them to build their villages on the plateau well above the valleys where the abundant streams flow with life giving water. This means that their water sources are far away from where they live and that the water they use must be carried up steep hills from the valleys below.
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This difficult and arduous task of carrying water from the springs to their villages occupies much of their time and saps their energy daily. At any hour of the day one can encounter women and children climbing the steep hills with buckets or other containers full of water on their heads! While the water is abundant and pure in the springs flowing from the hillsides in the valleys, it is a long way from where it is needed.