She is a warrior
“Being a woman and getting water… is being a warrior!”
After years of relentless struggle to find and collect the water her family needed to survive, today, Francisca stands victorious over her water crisis. “I am a real warrior because I have been through a lot of hard times,” she declares with pride.
Multiple times a day, Francisca walked about one mile to a reservoir in Cajueiro to collect water
Eighteen years ago, Francisca moved to Cajueiro while pregnant with her son. She stayed in her mother-in-law's home for a time before building a house of her own. But even after building her home, there was one thing Francisca lacked—water. To get water, she would brave the distance to a nearby pond, a daily battle against time and exhaustion.
She reflects on the struggle: “I’d be at the reservoir collecting water to use during the day. Imagine what it was like to wash the children’s clothes because I would run out of water and have to return to the reservoir at the end of the afternoon to get more. It was far!”
Livestock often bathed and drank from the same reservoir Francisca used to give her family water
Francisca’s determination pushed her to keep going, even when she dreamed of a better life for her son, Gabriel. She longed for the day she could give him breakfast without the constant fear that it could make him sick. Without access to safe water, Francisca had no other option but to prepare his breakfast with water from the pond.
“There was a lot of livestock on the land where the reservoir was located, so the water had to be boiled,” she recalled. “I would boil the water, remove the foam, and make Gabriel’s porridge. It tasted bitter... but we had no other way.”
Francisca meets with representatives from Banco do Nordeste and Water.org
But Francisca never gave up. Her resolve to secure a better future for her family drove her to search for a solution. Through our partnership with Banco do Nordeste, a local lender in her community, Francisca learned there was another way to provide safe water for her family. With unwavering determination, she met with her local banking representative, applied for a small loan, and was able to construct a water storage cistern on her property.
Francisca's water storage tank stores enough water for the family to use year-round
The cistern has transformed Francisca’s life. “When it rains, the water is channeled into the cistern from the roof. The cistern has a motor that pumps it to the water tank. Then we use the water in the house,” she explains. “When it starts to rain in January, we wash the roof tiles really well, and then, when it rains more, we collect the water. There are strainers; it's all filtered.”
A health agent regularly visits Francisca's home to treat the cistern with products that help maintain the safety and quality of the water
Now, Francisca, the warrior who fought for her family to have safe water at home, celebrates their new life. “Everything is good. It has improved a lot, 100%!” she says, her voice filled with pride. No longer does she have to trek long distances to collect heavy vessels of water. No longer does she worry about Gabriel’s health. Instead, she can watch her son grow, learn, and thrive. “Look at Gabriel today! He gets up to go to school, goes to the bathroom... and there is water.”
Gabriel recently celebrated his 18th birthday and is doing very well in school
"Look at Gabriel today! He gets up to go to school, goes to the bathroom... and there is water.”
Because of your continued support, Francisca’s battle for water has been won. There is water. Thank you for empowering warriors like Francisca with affordable, long-term safe water and sanitation solutions. Your generosity helps families like hers not only survive but thrive. To learn more about the impact of your support, go here.
