The Struggle to Survive

We begin our journey with survival. Survival is rarely a joyous thing. There is a struggle inherent in survival. A fight to stay alive; the sheer effort required to exist. People in a state of survival focus on the most basic needs: keeping a roof over their heads, finding their children's next meal. In a state of survival, little else matters.

This is why community leaders, health care workers and organizations like CAWST, SHIP, DHAN, and PAIDEH are so critical. They are able to see what the survivors cannot – that there is a life beyond hand-to-mouth existence and that one of the critical first steps is clean water and good health.