All stories

Together, we've empowered millions of people with access to safe water and sanitation. We invite you to meet some of them and read their stories.

All stories
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The power of water for Tamenech's family

The power of water ended Tamenech and Joseph’s water crisis. Not only did Tamenech want to prevent her children from walking to rivers or ponds to find water like she did as a child, but her role as a nurse gave her the insight to know how unhealthy that water is. Read Tamenech's story.

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It's time for school

Water makes time for school possible for kids in Rasulpur and around the world. When kids have access to safe water at home they can walk to school instead of walk to collect water.

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Nelly's heart

Water is a smart investment. The best investment the world can make to reduce disease, increase income, keep kids in school, and change lives. Nelly believed this to be true, and now she knows it for a fact. Thanks to Water.org’s smart solution known as WaterCredit, the hardworking, loving, single mom who wanted to give her family safe water and a better life was able to do it.

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Ladreo and his family in Peru
Ladreo ended his family's water crisis

Through our partner, Mi Banco, Ladreo took out a small loan to fund the construction of a bathroom and a water storage tank that connects to a shower and a faucet. Now Ladreo’s family home is complete. Read Ladreo's story.

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Zenebech's story

Zenebech lives in a rural village a few hours south of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Among the other mud and thatch homes, Zenebech raises her six children with her husband. Zenebech told others in her village about how a small loan changed their world and it could change theirs too. "I didn't want them to suffer any longer. I want them to be healthy like my kids". Read more about why she wanted safe water for her neighbors.

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Toilet
Hamsaveni and Rajesh give their daughters a bright future

India is the second most populous country in the world, with more than 1 billion citizens. 678 million people living in India lack access to a safe toilet. Read about how families are using small, affordable loans to end this practice and give their kids bright futures.

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A woman named Zawelde using a water tap to fill her mug outside of her home in Uganda.
For women the water crisis is personal

For women around the world, the struggle to gather water for their families is a personal, everyday battle. Water.org empowers women to get safe water by helping them access affordable financing through something we call WaterCredit.

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Rehana
Rehana

Homes in Rehana’s village are simple. Made of thatch and mud and concrete, the humble structures offer a haven for rest and play, but rarely do they have water or sanitation connections. While her husband worked and her children went to school, Rehana walked up to six hours a day to get water for cooking, laundry, and baths.

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Padma's story
Access to water and sanitation creates time and opportunity

Evidence found through Water.org’s programs demonstrates that household access to water and/or sanitation can liberate anywhere from six to 14 hours a week to be reallocated from tending to water and sanitation needs to however an individual chooses. While not every person with access to improved water and/or sanitation ultimately opts to use this extra time to earn additional income, the majority of people empowered through the work of Water.org direct their newly-freed time towards income-generating activities.

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Maggie
Water makes dreams come true

Water has the power to make dreams a reality. With a small, affordable loan made available to Rose by her local bank, Rose was able to give her family a long-term water solution. Now she has money to pay for her daughter's schooling, bringing to life Maggie's dream of becoming a nurse.

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Matthews
Water for Matthews' family

In partnership with Water.org, Matthews’ local bank offered small, affordable loans for water connections and toilets. The amount Matthews and Butukan paid for water at the kiosk far exceeded what could be payments toward a long-term water solution in their home. Matthews decided to finance a water connection.

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Elena and boys
Water is a game changer

As a child, Elena did not share in the joys of playtime like her boys, nor did she have time to even imagine what she wanted to be when she grew up. Elena was raised in rural Peru where she spent many hours carrying water jugs rather than kicking a soccer ball.

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Together, we can empower more families with safe water.

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