Nelly lives a life of love. From caring for patients as a nurse, to ensuring the best life she can for her sons - Nelly puts her whole heart into making the most of her life in Peru. Situated in the southern highlands, Nelly’s home of clay and concrete now has both a bathroom and a water connection. She wanted her sons to have a better life, and to her that starts with access to water and sanitation at home. So, rather than continuing to collect water from a stream or spend too much of her income on bottled water, Nelly took out a small loan from Water.org’s partner, Mi Banco.

Nelly pays affordable monthly payments to have a reliable water connection and private toilet for her family. Her loan payments plus the 70 sol (about $21 USD) she pays per year for metered water through her water utility company are less than half of what she paid before for bottled water from vendors. With the difference saved, she provides more for her boys.

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.

Learn more about how WaterCredit works.