Since he was little, Januario, now 17, has struggled to access clean water. Growing up in one of the most remote villages in Lautem Municipality, Timor-Leste, he would walk for 30 minutes daily with his eight siblings and other local children to collect water—and that was on a good day. It could take up to an hour if small children joined the pilgrimage.
“During the dry season, our closest spring dries up, so we would walk to other villages to collect water,” explains Januario. “If younger children came, we would have to slow down and wait for them to catch up.”
While some families could afford to rent trucks to carry their water, lessening the burden on children (“The trucks carry all the water in one trip”), Januario wasn’t so fortunate. “My parents relied on us children to collect water. It was our responsibility,” he says.
In 2021, Januario moved in with his aunt and uncle in Lospalos, a city in East Timor-Leste, to avoid travelling long distances daily to attend high school. He currently shares the house with eight other relatives from rural areas who are either studying or seeking better job opportunities. Januario says his younger brother will also be joining him soon, making it a total of 12 family members living together under one roof.
“Sometimes the water comes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon. So, we have to be prepared and fill up our tanks and jerry cans because the tap only runs for a few hours. And then it stops. We will have to wait for it the next day.”
Despite the move, access to water remains an issue. “I thought that coming to live in town would be easier, but it is still the same. We still struggle with clean water,” says Januario. He explains that although the government provides clean water to every household in town, it comes at a cost, “We have the water piped to our house by the government, but we have to pay around USD$5 every month.”
The costs involved and the fact that water isn’t readily available (the government turns off the tap in the central system, and the cycle of water rationing isn’t always constant) mean Januario and his relatives only use the water for “drinking and cooking” as they wait for their water rations.
“Sometimes the water comes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon. So, we have to be prepared and fill up our tanks and jerry cans because the tap only runs for a few hours. And then it stops. We will have to wait for it the next day,” says Januario, adding that he makes sure to get up early before school to collect water. “I walk 10 minutes to a well before school each morning to shower. If I don’t, I might not get another chance to wash all day.”
A lack of safe water and sanitation is also affecting children and young people’s learning and basic needs at school. Water is scarce, leaving students like Januario without access to clean water to drink and wash their hands. “We don’t even have water in our school toilets.”
Water and sanitation projects are critical to improving access to safe water in both rural and urban areas in Timor-Leste. Clean drinking and cooking water, adequate sanitation, and proper hygiene can prevent infectious diseases, dehydration, malnourishment, andearly death and help reduce poverty. Spending hours a day travelling to collect clean water or thinking about when they can next shower can impact children’s ability to learn and rob them of their childhood. They lose precious time that could be spent studying, pursuing hobbies, or playing with friends.
ChildFund Timor-Leste is working with the local community to improve access to clean water and help solve the water scarcity issues. ChildFund has supported the construction of two concrete water tanks in Lospalos. Concrete water tanks help store safe, temperature-controlled, and portable water, which makes it easier for households to access it for their daily consumption.
“Water is very important. For children to have clean water, the government needs to create better facilities and pipe water for every house and school. It is not just the communities that lack water but also schools.”
As a newly minted Youth Changemaker, Januario is passionate about improving health and wellbeing in his community. The new water tanks are just the beginning.
“Water is very important. For children to have clean water, the government needs to create better facilities and pipe water for every house and school. It is not just the communities that lack water but also schools,” he says.
As a Youth Changemaker, Januario is learning life skills and how to best advocate for not only himself but also his friends, family and community. He is part of a group of 60 local young people from Lautem municipality attending ChildFund-supported training sessions and activities to build their confidence and leadership skills.
“I wanted to join because I think it will benefit me a lot,” says Januario. “I want to learn many new things, especially how to become a good leader. The Youth Changemaker program motivates us to learn more.”
Although he is new to his role as a Youth Changemaker, Januario is already making a difference by raising awareness and inspiring action to address the community’s water and sanitation crisis.
This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership. The Youth Changemakers program is implemented in Lautem municipality by ChildFund Timor-Leste and local partner, Ba Futuru.
Infectious and non-infectious diseases are very different. An infectious disease can be transmitted from one person to another, while a non-infectious disease cannot be spread through person-to-person contact.
To help you better understand the difference between infectious and non-infectious diseases, we’ve defined and compared the two below.
What is an infectious disease?
Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. These micro-organisms are contagious, meaning they can be transmitted from one person to another.
Non-infectious diseases are not caused by pathogens and therefore cannot be spread from one person to another. Instead, non-infectious diseases are caused by factors such as genetics, malnutrition, environment and lifestyle.
Some examples of non-infectious diseases include cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), and diabetes. Other examples include Parkinson’s disease, autoimmune diseases, strokes, heart diseases, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and cataracts.
What are the main differences between an infectious and non-infectious disease?
1. Infectious diseases are communicable, non-infectious diseases are not
Infectious diseases are contagious, meaning that a person can contract the illness if they are exposed to carriers of the disease.
As we have witnessed with the rapid spread of COVID-19, infectious disease can be easily transferred through direct contact. This includes when someone comes into contact with an infected person for a period of time, their body fluids, or surfaces that the disease carriers have touched.
Non-infectious diseases, however, are non-communicable, meaning they cannot be transmitted through exposure to a carrier. Instead, they appear or grow due to factors such as gene mutations, malnutrition, environmental toxins and lifestyle.
2. Infectious diseases are caused by the transmission of a pathogen
Infectious diseases are transmitted from person-to-person through the transfer of a pathogen such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. A non-infectious disease cannot be transmitted through a pathogen and is caused by a variety of other circumstantial factors.
3. Prevention strategies for infectious disease focuses on stopping the spread
Infectious disease and non-infectious disease require different prevention strategies to protect individuals or groups from falling ill.
Prevention strategies for infectious disease focus on isolating individuals who have the disease to protect the broader population, and vaccinating against known strains to prevent transmission.
During a pandemic, or outbreak, certain measures may be taken to stop the spread, such as disinfecting surfaces that are frequently touched. Individuals are also encouraged to wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water, and to self-isolate if they develop signs or symptoms to prevent transmission.
4. Preventative measures for non-infectious diseases are lifestyle and contextually-focused
Preventative measures for non-infectious disease are focused on lifestyle choices and patterns, which have been identified as potentially effective through clinical research. You can reduce your risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes, for example, by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and consuming a balanced diet.
Not all non-infectious diseases, however, can be prevented. Some can develop as a result of an individual’s genetic history, lifestyle or age. While you can prevent alcoholic liver damage by abstaining from drinking or consuming alcohol less frequently, the liver can also be damaged by exposure to hazardous chemicals and toxins.
Help stop the spread of infectious diseases in developing countries
The COVID-19 pandemic meant that infectious disease made headlines throughout the world. However, it is not the only infectious disease – there are many more affecting developing communities in countries across the Asia-Pacific region.
In Papua New Guinea, for example, tuberculosis has had a devastating impact on the health system. “Outbreaks cause more harm where the infrastructure is less,” says Dr Deborah Bettels, World Health Organisation Expanded Programme on Immunisation Coordinator, Papua New Guinea. “They strain the routine healthcare system. They cause sickness always, they may cause death.”
You can help stop the spread of infectious diseases by donating one of the following Gifts for Good that helps provide clean water, or improve hygiene and sanitation in communities living in poverty.
Hand washing station: This is a simple gift with the power to help everyone in a community improve sanitation and hygiene, and stay healthy.
Hand pump well: This will provide clean water for children and their families for drinking, cleaning and bathing. Children may no longer have to make long, dangerous journeys on foot to collect water from unreliable, contaminated sources. This will also offer children the protection from the risk of deadly waterborne diseases.
Restock a health station: Help restock a health station with desperately needed medicines, medical supplies, personal protective equipment and other necessities to ensure that children and families have ready access to the care and resources they need to stay healthy.
Prevent the spread of infectious disease today!
You can help increase access to quality health care and prevent the spread of infectious diseases for children like Jenny (pictured below) in Papua New Guinea. “I am worried I will lose one of my children,” Mary, Jenny’s mother, told ChildFund in 2020 after Jenny was diagnosed with TB.
