Good mornings start with coffee and safe water at home
Brazil is the largest coffee producing country in the world and about one-fifth of the production comes from the state of Bahia, where Nailton and Lucimar's town of Barra do Choca is located.
“Our life here is pretty much about our coffee production."
After they married, Nailton and Lucimar built their home in Barra do Choça. Two children later, the couple and their family continue to make their life in the lush, hilly region. The climate in Barra do Choça is favorable for growing many of the foods and plants sold and traded in Brazil. Nailton earns the family’s income by growing and selling coffee.
Nailton shared his coffee beans. He explained that, while water is difficult to access for household use, there is plenty of rain and favorable conditions for growing coffee on his property.
He sells most of it in Barra do Choça, and any excess he sells to surrounding communities. When describing how valuable coffee farming is to their livelihood Nailton explained, “Our life here is pretty much about our coffee production.” He went on to explain that while it is difficult to access at home, Barra do Choça has plenty of rain and river water to help sustain their coffee farms.
Nailton grows coffee beans, bananas, oranges, and jack fruit on the hill above their home and on the land sloping downward away from their home.
What has made household access to safe water so challenging for Nailton, Lucimar, and their surrounding neighbors in Barra do Choça is the lack of infrastructure. Given the hilly terrain, and the fact that most of the rivers flow at the base of the hills without piping and strong enough electric pumps, it is challenging to direct water up to their homes and farms. The homes are built higher up on the hills to avoid flooding, and it is in the upper hills where coffee and other crops can thrive.
"Water is a precious resource, isn’t it? It’s something that we can’t be without."
The family consists of Lucimar and Nailton and their two daughters. Their oldest daughter is fifteen years old and attends school each day.
Nailton’s family needed consistent access to safe water at home. For their household chores, their coffee farm, and their health—access to safe water on their property was essential for their survival. In expressing just how invaluable water is to his family, Nailton shared, “Water is a precious resource, isn’t it? It’s something that we can’t be without. If humans run out of water, everything comes to an end. For us, it’s immensely important. It's extremely valuable.”
Nailton makes sure he roasts enough extra coffee beans for he and Lucimar to enjoy coffee at home.
To ensure his family always has the safe water they need, Nailton tapped into his local agricultural farming and banking resource who are a partner of Water.org. Through Water.org’s local partner, Agroamigo, which is the Rural Microfinance Program of Banco do Nordeste aiming to improve the lives of family farmers in Brazil, Nailton was able to affordably finance a water storage tank, pipes, and pump to bring water to his property.
To purify the water from their new storage tank, Lucimar fills the filter carafe in their kitchen. These are common in the region. Then when needed, the family has safe water to drink.
Now Nailton's wife Lucimar has consistent access to safe water in their home where she can bathe their daughter, launder their oldest daughter’s school clothing, cook meals, and of course, brew and enjoy cups of locally grown coffee.
"...having water here, it’s great."
Lucimar is thankful she and her husband could affordably finance a solution to their water crisis. She said, “It’s a huge difference now. Before, without water, it was really bad. I had to go down to the river to wash dishes and clothes, but having water here, it’s great.”
Your donations help change the lives of families in Brazil and around the world. For $25 a month, you can help empower a family in need every month with lasting access to the safe water they need to survive and thrive. Start giving monthly here.
