A couple from Fasitoo has lived for more than a year without access to safe and clean drinking water.

Fialogo Leagapita lives with her husband in a small wooden shack with iron-roofing located not far from the main road and was weeding her garden when the the Samoa Observer interviewed. 

The 46-year-old said that financial difficulties had prevented her family from paying for a connection to the Samoa Water Authority.

“Without water we cannot survive, it is a necessity in life, and for years we have not had the chance to get our own water supply

“We depend on our neighbours which is our family members for waters sometimes but so often water their supply gets disconnected without warning,” she said.

“But we usually take four buckets to fetch water from other families who have water which is a great distance walking."

Mrs. Leagapita stated that a lack of water is holding her household back. 

“The first priority for water is to quench our thirst, and then it is used to help prepare our meals, we also need it for washing our clothes and bathing," she said. 

“There is a spring in our village where we use when the water is cut off for washing clothes and so we carry our basket of laundry there".

Another difficulty the couple faces is the poor state of their home.

“As you can see, our home was built with the materials that were available because, in all honesty, we do not have the money to build a new house, thus making the structure of the house very vulnerable to cyclones and earthquakes," she said. 

“We are in great need of tarpaulins and proper iron roofing because the roof leaks during rainy days and it becomes hard for us to sleep."

“The structure of our home is not stable because we cannot afford to buy materials so we can build a better home."

The couple are both employed at a cocoa plantation, where they get paid a daily wage of $25 each when they are needed by their employers.

“With the limited money we get, it is mostly allocated for food expenses but not forgetting church and village commitments.”

If you are willing to help the Mrs. Leagapita and her husband please contact: 7246018.