Funds raised during the global GF Walk for Water 2023 were donated to Water Mission according to the principle of ‘where they are most needed.’ We are proud to share the following stories. Your support has helped saving lives, providing hope and improving livelihood.
The safe water project in Marumba serves nearly 10,000 people, as well as schools, churches, and the health clinic. Our solution sources water from a spring, treats it with an Erosion Chlorinator, and uses solar-powered pumping, 15km of piping, and 18 access points.
Mothers around the globe dream of raising healthy children but trying to do so without access to safe water is challenging. Contaminated water sources cause water-related illnesses that take the lives of more than 800,000 people each year, with children under age five among the most vulnerable.
In Marumba, Tanzania, many mothers like Asella understand this struggle. Asella spent much of her life walking long distances to collect water, yet the only water available was unsafe. Her children were often too sick to go to school. As a parent also caring for her aging parents, it was hard for Asella to leave home and earn money to support her family.
“It was so difficult in those days without safe water,” shared Asella. “My children were sick all the time with worms and stomachaches.”
When Water Mission began a safe water project in Marumba, it transformed the lives of Asella and everyone in the community. Using solar power, water is pumped, treated to remove contaminants, and piped to tap stands throughout Marumba. Now clean, safe water is close to home and accessible to the nearly 10,000 residents.
Safe water has not only meant better health, but also major economic improvements. The time people spent collecting water can now be used for going to school or running small businesses. The money they spent on medicine to treat water-related illnesses, they are now investing in the future.
“Now there are changes since safe water is available,” shared Asella. “People are no longer sick with worms and stomachaches. Even the hospital patients aren’t there for water diseases anymore.”
Asella’s children are healthy and going to school. Asella’s mother and father are healthy enough to walk to the nearby tap stand and collect water themselves. With more time and the freedom to leave her parents at home, Asella can go to the marketplace and earn an income selling clothing, soaps, salt, and lotions. Her small business helps support her family and pay for her son to attend a university. Asella has become a community leader and health promoter.
Having water close has also improved their standard of living and given them hope.
Homes were formerly made with tree trunks, mud, and grass. With water now available in the community, bricks can be made to construct homes, providing safer and more secure structures.
“Before, we had crowded rooms with five or six people in a room,” recalled Asella. “Now, a home can have a children’s room and a parents’ room. Before, we had to go somewhere and relieve ourselves, just digging a hole anywhere. Now, we can make bricks and build a standard latrine at the home.”
“Thank you for the safe water project,” said Asella. “It was a challenge before. The safe water has changed our community.”
The safe water project utilizes a mountain stream as the water source. The water is pumped through our Living Water Treatment System, which includes an Erosion Chlorinator, and is bottled for distribution to the community members. On average, there are approximately 1,000 liters of water bottled and sold per day.
For decades, families in Guayaman, Honduras, were tormented by water-related illness. With one of the highest percentages of extreme poverty in Honduras, residents could not afford to purchase bottled water. For residents like Onan Aguilar Contreras, a father of four, safe water was simply out of reach. Parents were helpless to ease their children’s suffering.
“Our life was very difficult,” says Onan. “The water we drank caused many illnesses in our home, including vomiting and stomach pain.”
Then, Water Mission installed a safe water solution. By working with the community throughout the process, residents’ lives have transformed into a position of empowerment. We trained a local Safe Water Committee to oversee operations and ensure the project’s viability for decades to come. In this way, residents can provide hope and wellness for their neighbors.
Onan is overjoyed to see his children thriving. “This magnificent project came to make a change in our lives, improving the health of my family and neighbors.”
This safe water project serves nearly 1,700 people in the community including two schools and a health clinic. It also features a livestock trough, supporting some of the community’s other needs like water for their animals. The solar-powered system sources water from a borehole using a submersible pump. The water is also treated with an Erosion Chlorinator.
Globally, many mothers struggle to raise healthy families without access to safe water. These mothers watch helplessly as their children suffer from water-related illnesses. Their children even face dangers while collecting water.
Lucy, a mother and long-time resident of Morpus, Kenya, lost her young son many years ago while he was collecting water. Because the only water source in Morpus at the time was a dry riverbed, residents had to dig deep into the sand to reach the water many meters underground.
Lucy was home cooking for her children while her son was deep in the hole collecting water for the family. Suddenly, Lucy heard cries and screams from the riverbed. When she rushed to investigate, Lucy found that the hole had collapsed, tragically burying her son.
Water Mission, in collaboration with our partners, is on a mission to end the global water crisis so mothers like Lucy never have to grieve the loss of their children because of this solvable problem.
Lucy says that with safe water in the community, “Life has changed completely.” She is grateful that safe water will mean a brighter, safer future for her grandchildren.
“Now, the children go to school and can get water there,” she said. “We are very thankful.”
After Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, Water Mission responded to the need to get safe water flowing where the conflict damaged infrastructure. Since then, Water Mission has provided 100 million liters of water for 200 communities and installed more than 70 safe water systems.
On June 6, 2023, Kakhovka dam in Ukraine collapsed, causing widespread flooding and destruction across the southern region. Access to safe water - already a challenge in the war-torn country - was now one of the most critical needs in the region following this disaster. Water Mission responded quickly to the disaster, implementing 4 new safe water systems in response to catastrophe.
Valentina is a Ukrainian woman whose water supply was cut off by the Kakhovka Dam breach in June 2023. Water Mission provided Valentina's community with a safe water solution. Valentina says: "We immediately felt the consequences of this disaster, but we did not expect it to be so difficult. Now, this water source is helping us. We use this water to make tea, coffee, food and drink. This situation made us appreciate every drop of water. Thank you for taking care of us. You know, when there was no electricity, we thought that this was the worst problem, but when there was no water, we felt it. You can live without light, but you cannot live without water. Water is life. Thank you for not leaving us without water."
