Veronica lives with her husband and three children in Dilor, a small village in Timor-Leste. Every day, she makes at least two exhausting trips to the river and back to provide water for her family. The river water is dirty and often causes diarrhea and other illnesses, especially for her children. “I was exhausted and felt terrible that I didn’t have money to buy medicine for my children,” Veronica shared with ADRA.

ADRA has been drilling wells in Timor-Leste, providing accessible and safe water for families.

The water Veronica carries every day, despite being contaminated, is precious to the family, and every drop matters. Veronica explains that as a result of its scarcity, her family would never wash their hands before eating or after going to the toilet. This lack of sanitary behavior also plays an undeniable role in the spread of diseases.

After drilling the well, ADRA installed a water station with hand pumps in Dilor, near Veronica’s home. It now takes her minutes to fetch water for her family. ADRA also provided hygiene and sanitation training to the villagers and at the school.

Now with clean water available, the cases of diarrhea have lowered dramatically, and children are no longer missing school due to illness. With the community’s acquired knowledge on sanitation, the health behaviors have changed, directly affecting the health and well-being of families.

The water station has been life-changing for Veronica and her family. She says, “Our family is very thankful for ADRA’s work, and we already enjoy its benefits. Our quality of life has improved, and the water tastes good. I hope we continue to be healthy and not get sick anymore.”

ADRA has drilled approximately 15 wells around Timor-Leste and installed numerous hand pump water stations so that villagers have abundant water in close proximity. Your donations help ADRA continue its clean water and sanitation projects in Timor-Leste, allowing communities to live healthier and happier lives.