A Long Walk to Water

Southern Sudan, 2009

Nya is excited when her father tells her they are building a school near the well—and not just for boys, but for girls too! She quickly runs off to carry her daily water.

Sudan and Rochester New York, 2003-2007

Salva recognizes his father immediately, but his father, who had just had treatment for guinea worm (a debilitating parasite picked up through contaminated drinking water), does not recognize the adult Salva at first. After a ritual sprinkling of water on his son, Salva’s father relates to Salva that most of his family is still living—only two brothers have died, and Salva eagerly begins planning to go home to see them. His father tells him no, however. The war is still going on, and both armies would impress him into service should he be caught.

When the time comes for them to leave the hospital, they embrace tightly, and Salva returns to New York. He says he will be back to see his family as soon as it is feasible.

When Salva returns to Rochester, he tries to think of ways he can help his people in Sudan. One of his friends, being an expert in planning these sorts of endeavors, helps him, and they spend months plotting it all out. Finally, Salva must do what he dreads most, directly ask people for money. His first assembly is in a school cafeteria, and he feels frightened when the sound system screeches, but the faces look friendly, and he harkens back to the times in Sudan when he was leading the groups of boys, addressing them twice daily. He remembers their interest in what he was saying, and he sees the same look in this group’s eyes. For three years, Salva speaks to organizations and charitable groups like churches. What keeps him going is the memory of his uncle’s lesson—taking things one step at a time.

Southern Sudan, 2009

After the well is finished, someone makes a sign of blue canvas that reads “Elm Street School” and takes a picture. It turns out that American children have funded the well and the school. This well makes all sorts of things possible: a market where people buy and sell animals and other food, and soon even a medical clinic. People from miles around will be welcome to freely use the well.

As the people gather around, drinking the cool, fresh water, Dep points out to Nya that the leader of the workers is of the Dinka tribe, the natural enemy of the Nuer. Nya wondered because he had no ritual scarring on his face like the others. She learns that he has dug many wells for the Dinka people but that now he is digging and building for the Nuer, as well. Feeling thankful, she approaches him. He asks her name and then he responds with, “My name is Salva” (97).