Kathmandu, Nepal is faced with a water shortage and a grim future of increased demand outpacing supply.
Once the major source of water distribution in Kathmandu, the traditional stone water spout known as the hiti is the primary source of water for 30 percent of the people, the urban poor, who live without indoor plumbing. Many hitis have vanished or provide contaminated water.
This series of photographs document the time spent by women and children to fetch and transport water which takes time away from education, generating income and quality of life, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
This project brings awareness to the role of poor urban women as the primary providers of water at the household level in relation to managing water resources and the importance of preserving these historic structures, an important part of Nepalese culture.
*Click on image to enlarge it and read caption.
© Christine Pearl
