Drinking fountains are simply nonexistent in my village. In my opinion, they are missed most at the two schools where I work. Daily I carry a 32 ounce nalgene bottle filled with water. Should I forget to bring it with me to school (which hasn’t happened yet), it would be worth the walk to home and back to get it. Dehydration is something I wish to avoid.
A few learners also carry bottles of water to school, but they are the exception. Others rely on what might be available on the campuses. At the secondary school, learners typically drink from one of two water spigots (pictures 1-3 above). Problems exist in that sometimes the water is not turned on, part of the spigot is missing (e.g., handle), and/or the spigots pose a health risk as learners all put their lips around the spigot as they drink. Illnesses such as TB (not uncommon throughout SA) and flu (every cold, cough and sniffle here is referred to as the flu) are bound to be passed like wildfire through this manner.
Conditions at the primary school are not much better. Immediately following morning assembly, it is the job of a couple of learners from each classroom to fill a bucket with water and carry it back to place in the front of the classrooms. Throughout the day, learners share a single plastic cup and drink from these buckets of water (pic #4, below), often lining up during break times and passing the single cup from one to another. Disturbing on so many levels.
