15. Most of the people of Darmang are peasant farmers, living off of their crops and selling the meager remains they don’t eat in hopes of earning money for school fees, food they can’t grow, electricity, clothes, etc.
16.
17. The majority of the people of Darmang live below the poverty line, living on less than $2 a day.
19. The economy is primarily labor-based (because they are farmers), thus any time away from the farm means less productivity and a poorer crop yield. Basically, it means one day more of starvation, struggle, and deeper poverty.
20.
21. During the “dry season” (our winter), the water sources dry up meaning people have to walk for upwards of three hours to fetch water.
22. Fetching for three hours = Less time on the farm Less time on the farm = Less food The cycle of poverty deepens.
23. For those families with children, it is the children’s job to fetch water. Afia
24. Three hours fetching water = Three less hours in school Three less hours in school a day = Years lost over the course of a child’s education The cycle of poverty continues.
30. The other source of water is from a clean, ground water pump that is privately owned by a man in the village.
31.
32.
33.
34. There is also a PolyTank attached to the school rooftop to catch rain water so that the children can drink clean water during school. This PolyTank is locked during non-school hours, therefore not accessible to the village, and dries up during the dry season when there is no rainfall.
