Water is an important need for human survival but is a problem that many people face in and around Papua New Guinea. For some, access to water is easy while others, it is very difficult.
This is the struggle of locals in Baga, a small community in Oro province together with other nearby communities along the coastline of Tufi.
Surrounded by the sea, the only form of transport for these communities is on water via canoes, boats, rafts and dinghies.
Daily activities including water collection, gardening, harvesting and visiting nearby villages is accessible using water transport.
For women in these communities, water is a real struggle.
According to Vinika Gabadi, a mother of two, water is a major problem in the community and the struggles faced in looking for water is real.
With only one available water source, the women in the village travel one to two hours by foot or canoe, to Jovo, the sole water supply source, to collect water for cooking and drinking. This is a daily responsibility for many women in the community.
Due to the distance, one woman can only carry one container to collect and carry back to their homes for use. While still on water collection, Mrs Gabadi also highlighted another issue relating to water and that is the shortage of water supply from the water source.
Since it is the only sole supplier, the water source often runs dry. When this happens, women return back home with no water. At home, they prepare dry cooking for meals. The process takes a while for the water source to restore itself and continue its flow.
This has taught the women in the community on the importance of preserving and using water wisely.
When asked if there were health cases resulting from the water they use for drinking and cooking, she said from what she knows there were no stories of such and that the water is safe for drinking and cooking.
