Leena Rani Mohanty – When Water Became a Blessing of Life

Leena Rani Mohanty – When Water Became a Blessing of Life

Daily Struggles

In Kukundia village of Ganjam district, 35-year-old Leena Rani Mohanty bends over the courtyard tap early in the morning to fill her pitcher with water. As the stream of clear water flows, a quiet smile spreads across her face. For Leena, this simple act was once the greatest struggle of her life.

She recalls:

“Fetching water used to be the hardest responsibility of my day. At dawn, we women and girls would set out with our vessels—either walking a kilometer and a half to fetch water from a storage tank, or standing in long queues at the community tap. Whether it was scorching heat, heavy rains, or stormy weather—water had to be brought, no matter what.”

Like most families in Kukundia, Leena’s household—her husband Kartik Patnaik, their two children, and her aging in-laws—depended entirely on this community tap. It was the only source for everything—drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes. But during the rainy season, the water turned murky and contaminated. Diseases like cholera, jaundice, and typhoid would spread through the village almost every year.Leena’s days were consumed by the endless chore of fetching water. She often had little energy left for anything else.

Floods and Helplessness

The monsoon brought even greater misery. Floods would submerge the village, forcing families to seek refuge in the nearby Isaneshwar Temple. But there too, the struggle for clean water never ended.

The faraway tank became inaccessible, while the village tap got damaged and polluted due to broken pipelines. Families were left with no choice but to strain and boil the same contaminated water for survival.

Leena remembers:

“Fetching water was so exhausting that we had no time or energy for other things. The children’s studies suffered, the elderly remained sick. Sometimes I felt as if my entire life was being spent just carrying water.”

A Ray of Hope

In 2024, a new possibility entered the village. Trust of People, with support from Muthoot Microfinance, organized a community meeting. They introduced the idea of using sanitation loans not only for toilets but also for ensuring safe drinking water—through household pipelines connected to the main water supply.

Initially, the villagers resisted. Their questions reflected years of dependency and doubt:

• “Why should we spend money on water when the community tap is free?”

• “Isn’t it the government’s responsibility to provide pipelines? Why should we take loans for this?”

But Leena saw things differently. For her, water was not just about convenience—it was about dignity, health, and her children’s future.

She thought to herself:

“If this really works, our lives will change forever. I won’t have to waste hours every day. My children won’t miss school. My in-laws won’t fall sick from bad water. I must try.”

With determination, she became one of the first women in her village to apply for a sanitation loan.

The Beginning of Change

Within weeks of approval, a pipeline was laid directly to Leena’s house, connecting it to the main village supply. A tap was installed in her courtyard.

The difference was immediate. Gone were the days of long walks and waiting in queues. Clean water flowed right at her doorstep.

With pride in her voice, Leena shares:

“Now my children don’t have to skip school to help me fetch water. My elderly parents-in-law no longer worry about drinking contaminated water. And I finally have time and energy to invest in my family’s wellbeing, instead of spending my entire day fetching water.”

A Ripple Effect Across the Village

Leena’s bold step became an example for others. Neighbors who once dismissed the idea began to see the visible changes in her life. Gradually, more women came forward to take sanitation loans for household water connections.

Soon, most homes in Kukundia village had pipelines bringing water to their courtyards. This collective shift led to two significant improvements:

1. Time and effort saved for women and girls – freeing them for education, income-generating activities, and family care.

2. Reduced crowding at community taps – improving hygiene and water quality for those who still used them.

What began as one woman’s decision slowly transformed the entire community.

The Lessons We Learn

Leena’s story challenges a common perception—that sanitation loans are only for toilet construction. In reality, such financial services can extend to basic needs like safe drinking water, which is as essential to dignity and health as sanitation.

Her experience also shows that progress is not just about infrastructure, but about agency—the power of women to make decisions that change the trajectory of their families’ lives.

• For Leena, the loan was not a burden, but a bridge to a better future.

• For her children, it meant uninterrupted schooling.

• For her in-laws, it meant relief from waterborne diseases.

• For the village, it meant a shift from dependency on unreliable community taps to household-level water security.

Water as a Right, Not a Struggle

Today, when Leena turns on the tap in her courtyard, it is more than water that flows—it is freedom.

• Freedom from the daily drudgery of carrying heavy vessels.

• Freedom from the fear of disease every monsoon.

• Freedom to dream of a better life for her children.

Her journey demonstrates how microfinance, when aligned with community needs, can address the most fundamental challenges of rural life.Conclusion

The story of Leena Rani Mohanty from Kukundia is a reminder that access to water should never be a privilege—it is a right. When families are given the right tools and support, even the toughest problems can find solutions.

Sanitation loans, often seen as small, have the power to create big changes—transforming not only homes, but entire communities. For Leena and the women of Kukundia, water is no longer a daily battle. It has become a blessing—flowing directly into their homes, and into their lives.