All 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
A young girl plays in Haiti
Time to play

When kids have access to safe water, there is more time to play. After a day at school, summer, holidays—these are times for fun and play. Yet, for the millions of kids who don't have access to safe water at home, such carefree joys are a world away. Instead of play, or even time to go to school, millions of children share with their mothers the burden of water collection.

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Stefanos believes in safe water and his children

Imagine a teacher who couldn’t see his own kids to school each day because instead, they were off finding water, or worse, because they were sick from drinking unsafe water. A simple, powerful solution empowered Stefanos to change these realities that millions of people around the world face today.

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And so she sews

Margaret enthusiastically shared her excitement about having access to water just steps from her home now. For a loan of 50,000 Kenyan Shillings (about $500) Margaret has two rain storage tanks with gutters on her home that can carry water down to the tanks.

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From poverty to possibility: Chumki's story

Water.org's President and Chief Operating Officer, Vedika Bhandarkar, describes how financial inclusion for women and families in need of water can change their lives. Through the story of Chumki who used a small, affordable loan to give her family water, Vedika explains how time spent collecting water can now be used to increase household income.

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Alice saves money and her family

Alice and her family rely on the food her livestock, plants, and trees produce. In the same way, these things rely on Alice to give them water. So how does one living in rural Kenya get enough water to not only provide for their family’s needs but to also keep their plants and animals healthy? For a time, Alice had to piece together water from various sources.

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A mother uses a water connection in Peru
Safe water, healthy babies

Access to safe water is critical to the health of women and their babies during pregnancy and after. Walking to collect water and carrying heavy vessels of water can be dangerous for a pregnant woman. Affordable access to safe water is why we celebrate the healthy pregnancies of women like Sophon, Grace, and Anita.

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Usha

In a small community outside of Hyderabad, India, Usha is one of many women who used small, affordable loans to construct a water tap or toilet at home.

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Empower families in Peru with safe water and toilets

Together we've empowered millions of people in need of safe water and sanitation in Peru. Through small, affordable lives are being changed and futures are bright. Read more about how Water.org is working with local partners in Peru to bring families the water connections and toilets they need to live hopeful, healthy lives.

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Darshana

In a village in Western India lives a woman named Darshana. Darshana and her husband have a humble home on a small piece of land. Together with their two children, the family works hard to make enough to pay for their living expenses however, they often struggle to accomplish this. They lack access to a toilet and this poses an issue to their health and safety.

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Water for Daniel's family

Daniel and his wife, Dorcus, found their family's safe water solution through Water.org’s partner bank in Kenya. Daniel and Dorcus took out a small loan through Equity Bank to purchase a rain storage tank. Read how access to safe water through this tank has changed their lives.

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Hang and Phat have much to celebrate

Hang and Phat live in a rural Cambodian village. Their son recently announced his engagement to be married. It is traditional to host the celebration at the groom’s family home but Hang and Phat did not have a toilet. Read about how Water.org's work in Cambodia changed their story.

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From a river to her doorstep

Narwoga and Mubiru have had many financial obstacles over their years - they lost part of their small taxi business and their biggest challenge was a lack of water at home. Read about how a small loan empowered the couple to give their family water at home, affordably.

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Together, we can empower more families with safe water.

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