From far away to close to home
From far away to close to home, Christina shortened the distance between her family and the safe water they needed to survive and thrive.
Christina, her husband, and their two children walked more than one hour to get water from the closest water source.
Christina’s schedule revolved around her household need for water. While her home in the Sarangani Province sits near a coast that meets crystal clear blue waters, finding enough water that was affordable and safe to consume was challenging for the young mother of two. She explained, “When we didn’t have water, we had to ask our neighbors because we didn’t have any. When it rained, we would just collect rainwater to have something to use. We had to travel about one hour to get water.”
“In the past it was very hard for us. The water source was very far.”
The daily decisions of where she would get water for her family, and distances that often followed, occupied Christina’s mind and time. She and her children would wake well before dawn to bathe in the river and collect the water they need to cook and clean at home. “My children (ages 10 and 12 years) would wake up at three o'clock in the morning just to bathe.” After bathing, Christina and her young children would share the chore or carrying vessels of water back home.
Christina's children often fell ill after drinking or bathing in the river water.
Despite Christina’s children’s responsible efforts to wake so early and get ready for school each day, the water they drank and bathed with often made them ill. “We had stomach problems, and we were experiencing diarrhea. Sometimes, our stomachs would hurt.” The water-related illnesses caused Christina’s kids to miss time at school which led to more frustration and challenges for the family.
Water.org has 25 active partners in the Philippines and LifeBank is one of them.
Christina learned from Water.org’s local financial partner, LifeBank, that she could get a loan for a safe water solution. Understanding the solution would be long-term and constructed on her property, just outside the front door of her home, Christina and her husband elected to apply for a loan. “We decided to install a water connection through LifeBank so we wouldn’t have to go to the far away water source anymore.”
Christina's husband is a farmer. The family's need for water at home was great.
"My children no longer have to struggle to get water. That’s why I’m thankful.”
Today Christina’s family is experiencing the health, hope, and opportunities that flow from having lasting access to safe water at home. Thankful, Christina celebrates the difference her safe water connection has made for her children, “My children no longer have to struggle to get water. That’s why I’m thankful.”
From far away, to close to home—thanks to support from our generous donors, Christina was able give her children safe water and the health, hope, and bright futures that flow from it. To learn more about how we're working to help empower families in the Philippines and around with world with affordable, lasting safe water and sanitation solutions go here.
Safe water flows from a water connection that is piped to Christina's municipal water utility company.
