Pump mechanic, LRA emergency response, TamburaYambio,

Credits: B.Burrows/CAFOD

I have five children and live in Naandi with my mum. I came here to Tombura town for two weeks of training. I wanted to train as a pump mechanic to help my community. I was selected and I was happy to be chosen. My mum didn’t say much, but she’s okay with it. Eighteen people are being trained, four are women. Even being a woman I can do this work.
 
The men accepted us. The training is not hard. I can read and write a bit in Zande language because I reached class three of primary school. I like the practical work best. I like to unscrew the screws and remove the pipes.

Before training as a pump mechanic I was just farming. When we go back to our villages, we will be volunteers, and if there is a broken borehole, we can fix it. There are broken boreholes in Naandi village that I have in mind. I want to fix them. The one in the Church, and the one at the market. At the moment, my family is getting water from a spring because the hand pump is broken. It is two miles away, so one hour walking there, and one hour coming back. Once the borehole is fixed, it will take only a few minutes to get water. It’s a good thing. I will feel happy because I can now help my community.”