Living in Lusaka, Zambia has been quite challenging, quite challenging indeed!
The water in the area where we are staying is only available from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am, and then only on some days. So our dad and the house care-taker have to make sure that they fill buckets and barrels while the water is on. To get water into the pipes in the house there is a large water tank (cistern), mounted high up on a platform, which can be filled whenever the water plant is supplying water. But the water pressure is so low that water will not go up into the storage tank.

We ordered water once, and when that ran out, we went back to the Lusaka Water and Sewage Department to order more. But the only truck they have was broken so we have no running water in the house now. We have come up with a well devised system of dipping pitchers and buckets into the barrels, and heating the water up in kettles to put into basins to bathe. We have to start early in the morning because our ride to school is about 25 to 30 minutes long, depending on the traffic.

Chasah, Caleb and Charliese West are MKs who have lived in South Africa, but have recently moved to Zambia.