Access to Water: Anwari’s Story 

Before the water connection, every litre of water had to be carried home. 

Anwari is a 45-year-old widow living in Jaunpur, India. Like many low-income households in the area, her home had no running water, and the responsibility for water collection fell heavily on women. 

Without a home connection, daily life revolved around the next container. Water had to be fetched and carried over distance, often in heavy loads. Cooking, cleaning, washing, and caring for children took longer and felt harder, and hygiene became difficult to maintain when every use of water had to be measured. 

The risk was not only exhaustion. Leaving the home repeatedly to collect water created daily worry about safety, and the time lost to water collection reduced the time available for rest, family care, and earning. 

In 2025, The Zahra Trust launched the Water Connection Project to bring clean water directly into homes in Jaunpur. Anwari’s household received a complete home water system, including a 500-litre storage tank, an electric motor, and four water outlets for the kitchen, washroom, bathroom, and an outdoor tap, installed with durable materials for long-term use. 

With water available inside her home, Anwari no longer had to plan her day around carrying water. Daily tasks became quicker and safer, hygiene became easier to maintain, and the constant pressure eased. 

“I no longer worry about my children’s safety or going out to fetch water. This project has brought peace and dignity back into our lives,” Anwari shared. 

In Jaunpur, ten households received home water systems through this project. Anwari’s story shows what happens when clean water is within reach, time is freed, health risks reduce, and dignity returns to the everyday life of a home.