Brazil, Women's empowerment 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
54098866674_2651073942_k
Miraildes' battle for water is over

Miraildes and her husband, Jose raise their family of four in Brejao in the state of Bahia where rivers flow, hills span for miles, and coffee farms flourish. For many years the family lacked a reliable source of safe water at home. To get water, Miraildes walked to a river to collect it. She called this a daily battle for water. Read more to find out how a small loan empowered Miraildes and her husband to end their water crisis.

Read more
54098872604_6bcfb607e9_k
Safe water for Fabiana and Jose's family

Celebrating the life-changing solution Fabiana shared, “Our lives changed one hundred percent! I used to carry water on my head. I washed dishes and clothes in the river.” Read Fabiana and Jose's story to learn how a small, affordable loan helped change their family's lives in Brazil.

Read more
Elivane garden
Safe water turns challenges into choices

To Elivane, water is everything. For many years, the activities of her days were controlled by the time she spent walking to and from a river to collect the water her family needed. Now she has access to safe water at home and the time to earn income, care for her home, and create the life she wants for her daughter.

Read more
Erenice
Water means life

Since Erenice's childhood, her family’s water well has never run dry. However, in recent years the structure, built entirely out of rammed earth, has been in danger of collapsing. Honoring the memory of her parents and to protect her family's quality of life and means of production, Erenice decided to repair the well. Find out how Erenice was able to affordably repair and improve the source of water her family needs to survive and thrive.

Read more
51881865963_30a51443ea_k.jpg
Today Andreia and her family have safe water at home

For years, Andreia’s family didn't have access to safe water on their property. Andreia knew her kids' childhoods could be full of learning, playtime, and healthy days if Andreia could find an affordable way to give them the safe water needed to survive and thrive.

Read more
Dona
For some, access to water at home is a dream come true

For Dona Terezinha, access to water at home is a dream come true. Read about how, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached her community, she was empowered with the safe water and toilet she needed to protect herself and her grandson.

Read more
Glaucia
Glaucia's sanitation crisis solved

For Glaucia, paying a small amount each month to pay off a loan for a bathroom at home was both affordable and practical. She no longer had to worry about her family’s health and the medical expenses that came with poor hygiene issues. Glaucia gave her family a bathroom much sooner than she’d ever thought imaginable.

Read more
Waterorg_Our-Impact_All-Stoires_WaterCrisisBrazil_Header.jpg
How the water crisis affects families in Brazil

Like 27 million Brazilians, Maria lacked access to adequate sanitation in her home, where she lives and works and helps raise her granddaughter. Read about how a small loan gave this mother and grandmother the resource needed to keep her family healthy.

Read more

Together, we can empower more families with safe water.

Donate