For generations, women in Sariati’s family faced an impossible choice when it came to giving their families water - certain death without water, or possible death from consuming unsafe water. For these women in Indonesia and millions of others around the world, collecting water would take up to six hours each day.

Sariati made tireless trips to and from a local river, pond, or a local mosque well. These sources proved the only options, and they were unreliable and often unsafe. So to mitigate the water-related issues her family suffered, Sariati spent a large part of her income on purchasing water from a vendor. 

As a housekeeper, Sariati’s income could not sustain such an expensive option, but for the time being it was the only way to keep her family healthy. For her mother, grandmother and countless other women in their rural village, access to funds was the obstacle standing between them and a water tap at home. 

Water.org recognized this continuous struggle and created a solution to end it, something we call WaterCredit. It is with one of these small loans that Sariati found a way to finally end her family's water crisis by paying for the construction of a water tap on her property. 

Now just a few steps from her front door, Sariati can fill pots and vessels with safe water. And, the exorbitant amounts of money she was spending on water from vendors can be applied to other needs like tuition for her son’s schooling and healthier food for her family.