“Their presence around us is important as it helps us move around with confidence. We feared passing through the thick forest along the way, but with the peacekeepers following us we feel protected. As a result, water scarcity is no longer an issue,” says Margret Albert Mikisi.
She is one of more than 40,000 people who have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in Tambura in Western Equatoria State, and one of many displaced girls and women who spend several hours per day walking through tough bush vegetation to collect the precious liquid.
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Marathon walks carrying water remain arduous, but at least it is no longer the dangerous chore it used to be, when females were frequently targeted by armed men.