(Xhosa with English subtitles)

Without easy access to clean water, Melikhaya worries that his mother will not be able to recover from her illness. He also worries that his siblings may get sick from the food he prepares with contaminated water. Melikhaya’s story is a plea to government to provide clean, running water to all people living in South Africa.

key points to consider in viewing melikhaya’s story

In 2008, five million South Africans did not have access to clean water, and fifteen million people lacked basic sanitation. With men either working far from home or choosing not to share in the burden of housework, fetching and carrying water is often allocated to children. In watching this story, reflect on the burdens this places on young people. Think also about how people in Melikhaya’s community can work with local government officials to demand access to clean water.

Learn more about how to present this story.

Download Melikhaya 's story (.mov 36MB) (released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license).