How Salmah protects her family's health
Salmah lives with her husband and daughter in Babakan Wetan, a local neighborhood in West Java, Indonesia. Here, water flows through natural springs, mountain streams, and river irrigation channels. A tropical climate and distinct monsoon season make this the wettest and most humid region of Java. Despite the high volume of water present, contamination issues make most household water unsafe to drink – posing serious health concerns for families like Salmah’s.
Access to safe water at home simplifies making cake batter. Here, Salmah carries an assortment she made to share at a local community meeting.
The hidden costs of unsafe water in Indonesia
Without safe water at home, Salmah purchased gallon jugs for cooking and drinking. Unfortunately, this solution wasn't sustainable. It made her sick. "It kind of made my stomach feel upset; they weren't always from a clean, reputable source," she remembers.
The next best option was boiling water, but that was expensive and inconvenient. First, she had to collect water from the well in her yard. Then, boiling it wasted gas, electricity, and time.
"Mornings were such a hassle. When my children or grandchildren stayed over, we had to boil water first to make milk and wait for it to cool."
A water filter makes it easy for Salmah's grandchildren to access safe water whenever they need it.
How a small loan made safe water possible
Everything changed when Salmah learned she could finance a water filter through KBMI, our local partner bank in Indonesia. Salmah chose to take out a small loan for the filter that she is paying off in six months of installments. "Thankfully, the installments are affordable," Salmah explains. "It's about the same as putting aside some pocket money for it, for six months."
Salmah's water filter will provide her family with lasting access to safe water for years to come. It's a solution she owns. And with it, she saves money that she would otherwise spend for electricity and gas for boiling water.
"It's more economical and more practical. It saves electricity and gas, and it also saves physical effort. You can use the water directly from the filter."
After financing a water filter with a small loan from our local partner bank, Salmah no longer worries her family will get sick from well water.
No more boiling, no more worry: Safe water changes life for Salmah’s family
Today, Salmah uses the water filter for cooking, making cake batter, drinking, making coffee, and preparing milk, filling it once every evening before bed. "It's so convenient for everything," she says. In the morning, she wakes up with safe water within reach.
"Water is important for our health. My grandchild hasn't been feeling well lately, so I feel safer drinking this filtered water."
Salmah no longer worries about the health risks of unsafe water at home. The filtered water tastes cooler, feels more refreshing, and provides peace of mind. Even her youngest grandchild has noticed the difference: "My youngest grandchild says so too: 'It's really good, Grandma.'"
197 million people in Indonesia still lack access to safe water. You can help change this. Learn more about how our smart solutions are working to solve the global water crisis in Indonesia and around the world.
