Not all of us are lucky enough to have access to clean water.
Seru Obed is from Vanuatu and has been in Tasmania for the past nine months with thousands of others in the seasonal workers program.
He spent a decade looking for work overseas so he could support his family living in the small village of Epule — which lacks a reliable clean water source.
“My community, it’s very poor,” Seru said.
“Sometimes, especially our kids get diarrhoea, because of a lack of clean water, so we have to take them to the hospital,” he said.
Earlier this year, two category-four cyclones — Judy and Kevin — struck Vanuatu and destroyed clean water and food sources along with thousands of households, increasing the presence of water-borne diseases such as gastroenteritis and ringworm.
His village of about 600 people is 23 kilometres from Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila.
When Seru locked in work abroad, he never expected that his work would reach beyond his family to directly impact hundreds of others in Epule.
A chance meeting
Jon and Shelley Newell first bonded with Vanuatuan people when they met a group of seasonal workers in their local area in Northern Tasmania.
“About five years ago, some of the guys from the local seasonal worker program came to visit our church, and we got to know them and their stories,” Ms Newell said.
Thousands of seasonal workers come to various locations throughout Australia — including Tasmania — from abroad to fill much-needed rural jobs.
The Newells then visited Vanuatu together. Seeing some of the conditions in villages made them want to help.
“We came home with big ideas of what we could do to help,” Ms Newell said.
“They said: ‘Well, actually our biggest issue is safe water’,” she said.
While Seru was working in Perth, south of Launceston, a chance meeting with Shelley at the Cressy Uniting Church and the sharing of his story led to thousands of dollars being raised for two water filters.
The donations meant Seru village would have access to clean water, with each filter producing 10,000 litres daily for up to 10 years.
The Northern Rotary and Lions Clubs each donated for the filters, which cost about $2,500 each.
Sharing the good news
However, it was a conversation on ABC Northern Tasmania’s Drive program that prompted a call from listener Brian Harper, who had just wrapped up a veteran and community incorporated body.
After 25 years, they had some cash to spare.
“I just heard Seru and thought: That’s a way to spend some more money,” Mr Harper said.
“They can’t get drinking water, I mean come on,” he said.
Mr Harper and the veteran community then donated a further $5,000 for two more water filters.
Seru said he was quick to tell his village leader of the news.
“I already spoke with my chief … I [told] him that I am coming with a water filter for the community,” Seru said.
“Not for me, but for the community as a whole and especially for the other villages,” he said.
“We can have clean water. Safe water to drink. And he’s very happy.”
