We take running water for granted, but millions of people in the developing world are forced to carry buckets of water home (sometimes from miles away). Innovation like this Q Drum rolling container makes their lives a little easier. http://www.qdrum.co.za/index.html - via Development Crossing
Check out Heifer International for more info.
The poor boy does need a stick of some kind, to make the pulling easier, a broom handle would probably do the trick, threaded through the centre of the drum, with the rope tied on.
The problems I see are the rope moves around the inside increasing friction and shortening the life of the rope.
The container is not one currently in common production so more costly to produce.
The container is rolling on the ground trampling all plants in its paths and risking puncture on all objects in the path.
Some ideas are best to not implement.