A Long Walk to Water is based on the true story of Salva Dut, a refugee from Sudan, and his incredible journey to find his family and escape the war. Beginning in 1985, the story follows Salva over many years of obstacles and growth.
Salva and Nya both struggle to survive without the basic need of clean water. Other aspects that impact the characters' survival are hunger, war, illness, and weather.
Salva overcomes a seemingly unbelievable amount of obstacles, yet he doesn't back down or give up. Nya walks for hours each day to get water for her family even though it's difficult and exhausting.
Salva walks across countries to find his family. He reunites with his father at a clinic in Sudan, where he is ill from years of drinking contaminated water. Nya knows that her family relies on her for water, and she never lets them down.