“The Crooked spine” talks of the toil involved in collecting water for communities that have not yet had the benefit of Frank Waters work. This piece is inspired by the strength of women and girls who carry water daily, and is a reminder of why Frank waters work in rural India and Nepal is so vital. Having seen first hand, the impact of their projects when I shadowed them in India, the terrain that they have to navigate in order to collect water to cover basic needs like cooking and drinking, is often long and tricky. I tried to lift one of the pots without water, and I cant imagine carrying them when they are full. An elderly lady I spoke to said that she is relieved that her daughter in law will not have to go through what she had to. She remembers the headaches and her hair being worn away The time taken to collect water 2 - 3 times a day deprives girls of an education and women of the opportunity of a much needed secondary income. Before Frank waters work with their Indian partner, the People’s Science Institute, villagers were drinking water that was high in chloride because the government bore wells had been dug too far down into the rocks. This had horrific effect on a communities bone density, destroying teeth, crumbling spines, and in some cases rendering the bones of toddlers so full of holes that they bowed under the young childs weight. These communities felt that they were damned. Thanks to the support of Frank water, they know differently now. Safe water pumps have been installed, meaning they dont have so far to walk for water. Some villages now have taps in their houses, but the main plus is that they know and understand that the water they are using is safe and they dont have to walk hours for it.