Access to water is an every day struggle for a mother of four from Sa'anapu.

Tepora Tausaga is pleading for assistance after she has lived for more than two years with her husband and without access to clean, fresh water. 

The 31-year-old was weaving Samoan mats when the Village Voice team came across her, on the floor of a small, open-style Samoan family home made of rooks covered with mats. 

The roof is made from coconut leaves.

“The main struggle my family faces is accessibility to water supply," she said.

"It has been two years since we had no access to any water only because we have a bill of $3,000 to the Samoa Water Authority but due to financial difficulties we could not pay it".

Mrs. Tausaga said that water is life but it comes with a cost which others are not able to afford.

“At the moment we depend on our neighbours to get some water but of course it is not free, we have to pay $20 so we can fetch three or more buckets of water.

“Water is needed for our family to survive, and it is the most used resource in any family because we need it for drinking, I have children including a new born, we also need it to help prepare and cook food, wash dishes and clothes but also bathing.”

She stated that her husband is the bread winner of their family.

“Despite my husband being employed, we still struggle so much because his salary is not enough to meet so many needs, for one week he earns around $100.

“The money we get is divided into so many things, priority is water, then food supplies, sending the children to school, and we have other obligations to village council and church which require monetary support.

“At the end of the day there is nothing left or we still struggle to get by daily.”

Her family also faces hardships with the current state of their home.

“My dream was to provide a better home for my children but in reality I cannot, our home is made up all the things that are available. 

“I feel bad when my children sleep on the floor because it is not comfortable due to the foundation made of rocks. 

“The roof leaks during rainy days; we try and use cardboard papers to stop the rain from getting through the holes on the roof. But it is also not safe during cyclones which have been my constant fear of our home being damaged and we would not have anywhere to live.”

 If you are willing to help the family of Mrs. Tausaga please contact numbers: 7782776 or 7665934.