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	Introduction   Kenya: Maasai walk   Ethiopia: drought walk   Nairobi: slum walk   El Paso: drought   Calcutta: slum walk   Bangladesh: poisoned water		Trekking all day to find water in Ethiopia Meko Amano lives with her husband and three children in the village of Dera Kiltu, about 150 kilometres south-east of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There has been no rain for over a year. Meko’s walk begins just after five-thirty in the morning, while it is still dark and chilly. As she prepares for the half-day trek, she explained how the exhausting journey leaves her with little time and energy. "We used to fetch water from the pond in the village but now its dry and I’m forced to walk to the Awash River. I can’t walk everyday because it is tiring so I walk every other day. "I carry a small pot, which takes about 15 litres of water, and I use it to cook food, for coffee and tea, and to cook bread. I leave early and prepare food for my children when I get back. "My baby daughter Medina is three-years-old. I have to feed her before I leave for the river. She has problems. She has an upset stomach, diarrhoea and her eyes are bad. "I have been advised to give her only my breast milk but that’s not possible as my breasts have little milk. I should take her to the clinic but I don’t have the money. "Last year everything was normal, then I could have taken her to the clinic but this year I can’t. I used to sell some crops, now I have nothing to sell. My five cows have all died." Exhaustion The walk takes Meko across dried up fields. In some villages, nearer to the river, the fields have been ploughed ready for planting when the rains begin. Parts of the journey are steep and rocky. It takes four hours. By the time she arrives at the river the sun is hot and she is exhausted. "I’m happy to arrive. The river is my life. If it were not here I would be lost. I will wash my hands and my face, and then my pot. I will rest for a bit and then walk back home. "Two things make me happy in my life. After travelling the long distance here I forget everything, even though I have to make the journey back. "I hope my daughter will be well. I plan to bring her here one-day so that she can see the river. There were small rivers where I grew up but not as big as this one. This one has clear water because it comes from the highlands. "Water shortage is a serious problem for us. We have asked for the river to be diverted to bring water closer to the village. When the pond dried up I was shocked because I knew I would have to travel this long distance to the river." Nine hours later, and 24 kilometres later, Meko arrives back at home. Now she can feed Medina and cook for her family. Listen to the radio series: Water Walks parts 1 and 2 BBC World Service Online walked with Meko early in February 2003. In March the rains began and the village pond once more had water. Meko was able to take her daughter to the clinic.

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