Bolivia
Yolanda loves playing soccer in her rural Bolivian community. But before her school had clean water and bathrooms, she started each day carrying heavy buckets instead of heading straight to class. Access to safe water has changed what’s possible for her – both in school and on the field.
In Arbieto, Bolivia, climate change is making water sources more unpredictable and scarce. Water For People partnered with communities to build the Enchanted Forest tree nursery, producing tens of thousands of native seedlings that help slow rainfall, rebuild groundwater, and protect drinking water. This nature-based approach is strengthening water security one tree at a time – and creating resilience for generations.
Growing up in rural Bolivia, Inés experienced the tension between her dreams for the future and the stark reality around her. “We had to limit our water use since it needed to last the whole month – we reused as much as possible. And because we didn’t have toilets, we would walk to look for remote places in the mountains and hills.”
“We had two springs we used for water, but they have dried up. The mayor brought water in a cistern once a week, but it was not enough. To wash clothes, we went to the river, but it was far away.”
Dry and rough to the touch, Don Guillermo’s hands tell stories of sacrifice, hard work, and pride. With a shovel gripped tightly, and a smile across his face, the 66-year-old is determined to build his family a toilet.
Pablo Terceros Vargas is sparking a sanitation revolution in his rural community in Bolivia. Pablo has lived in the district of Tiraque, Bolivia for his entire life. For the first 32 years of his life, he didn’t have a bathroom.