In June 2023, JHR President Rachel Pulfer joined the JHR-Tunisia team on a reporting trip to Douar Bouzna, a locality near the Beja Governorate where residents relied on a muddied stream as their only source of potable water. The contaminated stream was unfit for consumption and had devastating health consequences for the community.
One woman shared that she suffered permanent kidney damage from drinking the water, while two teenage sisters explained that the poor water quality had permanently damaged their teeth (image #2).
Determined to find a solution, JHR worked closely with local civil society partners, including Imen Snoussi (leftmost in top image) and Nabila Ammouri (left in right top image). Then former JHR-Tunisia Country Manager, Nozha Ben Mohamed, delivered a bottle of the unclean water to local governate delegate Malek Nasri (left, below), highlighting the urgency of the issue. Nasri committed to supporting JHR’s initiative to establish a reliable source of clean water for Bouzena. Local sub-governor Omda Fawzi Hedli (right, below) also joined the effort, strengthening the campaign’s momentum.
By September, these collaborative efforts led to the installation of a public tap providing clean, fresh water in a central location for the community. Plans for a second tap are already underway, marking significant progress for a long-overlooked issue.
This milestone owes much to the advocacy of JHR-supported civil society coordinator Imen Snoussi. After participating in JHR’s media training, Snoussi had created a powerful documentary about Bouzena’s water crisis. The film, which was screened at the JHR awards gala in Tunisia in March 2023, brought national attention to the community’s plight and galvanized support for change.
With continued collaboration and advocacy, the Douar Bouzna community is one step closer to achieving sustainable access to clean water – a fundamental human right.
