Improving the Lives of Women and their Communities with Clean Drinking Water.
In many parts of the world, drinking water is so scarce that women must spend hours each day walking to collect it, transport it back to their communities, and boil it so that it’s safe to drink.
“A five gallon bucket of water can weigh 40 pounds and carrying it is a struggle,” says Malcolm Morris, Chairman Emeritus of Living Water International.
“I’ve seen everything from women suffering miscarriages to their spines compressed because of the heavy load.” Living Water is one of the OPIC partners bringing clean water to remote communities.
Living Water, a faith-based nonprofit in Houston, was formed in 1990 to help expand access to drinking water around the world so that those in remote communities could establish safe and secure sources of water close to their homes.
With the support of OPIC financing, Living Water was able to purchase new drilling rigs to more efficiently access water and provide safe water to over five million people.
“Every community that gets clean water gets more prosperous,” says Morris.
“Women are not spending all day collecting water.
They have more time and sometimes they establish small businesses creating jobs and income for other members of their community.”