Women's empowerment 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
40346821063_cad4a3d730_k.jpg
The choice is hers now

For millions of women around the world water collection is not a choice, but a requirement to help keep their families alive. Without access to water at home, women like Tiatun in Indonesia walk miles to a river to collect the water their families need to survive. For Tiatun, a small loan changed her story. Read more.

Read more
Waterorg_Our-Impact_All-Stories_Angelica-Header.jpg
Safe water at home in Mexico

With access to safe water at home, Maria Angelica’s family saves $300 a month. This is because she no longer spends money on temporary water sources, now that she has a lasting, sustainable solution at home. Read Maria Angelica's story.

Read more
Mumina at home
Mumina's family still has access to safe water

When she’s not sewing to support her family's income, Mumina gardens a small vegetable bed, launders clothing, and cares for her children. This life—time to sew, water for clean laundry and fresh food, Mumina’s happiness—it is made possible by access to safe water. Something Mumina has known for a few years now, but at one time, she thought was impossible.

Read more
Waterorg_All-Stories_Zeny_Header.jpg
A lasting safe water solution for Zeny's family

Zeny was happy to learn her family could get a small, affordable loan from their local bank to get a water connection at home. Now the family pays less than 5% of their monthly income on water. Read Zeny's story.

Read more
Patricia-small.jpg
Patricia built a life she loves

Patricia is proud of the life she’s built. Through hard work, the 53-year-old mother of three raised a family, built a small farm, and created a life she smiles about. Through Water.org's partner, Equity Bank, Patricia and her fellow self-help group members learned they could take out an affordable loan to purchase needed water solutions.

Read more
35838619205_a4bc025d25_k.jpg
Her family's bright future starts with water

Sally is a mom of four young children. While the eldest three are at school, Sally enjoys time with her youngest, mixing play with the housework. Life for Sally’s family wasn’t always like this. Even before becoming a mom, and for several years after, Sally was responsible for finding the water her family needed to survive.

Read more
51283925719_67f6b2b92d_k.jpg
The day everything changed

Umi is a mom of two boys. Before getting affordable access to safe water at home, Umi and her seven-year-old son walked to a stream to collect water. Read about how a small loan changed their lives.

Read more
Sok
Sok's family has safe water now

Across the country of Cambodia more than 11 million people in need lack access to safe water. Like millions of other women, to get the water Sok’s family needed to survive, she had no choice but to collect it from a nearby river. Read about how Sok got affordable access to safe water.

Read more
5416423108_3a55874a00_k.jpg
Obwiri

When COVID-19 reached Obwiri’s community, she had increasing concerns about her family’s sanitation situation. Read about how a small loan empowered her to solve her family's water and sanitation crisis at a critical time.

Read more
Joinab-1.jpg
Queen of the hills

Joinab introduces herself as the “queen of the hills” and rightfully so as she has conquered her family’s water crisis high in the hills of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Read more
lilis - home.jpg
Lilis is proud to have safe water at home

As the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to Lilis’ village, the safety and comfort she felt about her home, their access to food and water, and their finances shifted. Lilis had new concerns about her family's ability to survive.

Read more
Anah
Anah

Anah lives in rural Indonesia where she grows her family's food and enjoys hosting guests. Until recently she lacked an adequate supply of water to feed her livestock and water her crops. She also did not have a bathroom for her daughter and visitors. She longed to have water and a toilet and thanks to your support, she now has both.

Read more

Together, we can empower more families with safe water.

Donate