A new-found hope for Margarida and her community

By Aprilia de Jesus, Communication and Liaison Manager, Disaster READY Country Committee, Timor-Leste

Before CARE and partners built a water tank close to her village, Margarida would walk two hours each day to collect water. Better access to safe and clean water has improved health outcomes for Margarida and her community and afforded more time to focus on other things, including cash-generating activities. IMAGE: Izalde Pinto/CARE in Timor-Leste

Margarida lives in a rural village in Viqueque, one of the most remote municipalities in Timor-Leste. Margarida’s community has been facing difficulties accessing clean and safe water for their drinking, cooking, and hygiene for almost 23 years. Margarida’s community also depends on water for farming and agricultural production too. Without water, agricultural output is disrupted, and community anxiety deepens. Constant occurrences of an erratic climate such as prolonged drought seasons are increasingly becoming a threat to the wellbeing and livelihoods of rural, agricultural communities like Margarida’s. Previous droughts in the country have resulted in water shortages for many households and disrupted agricultural production. With safe water and nutritious food predicted to be scarce, many households are vulnerable to health, nutrition, and sanitation issues.

Being a lactating mother, accessibility to clean and safe water offers protection to Margarida and her children. Where Margarida lives, water is only available to collect in the woods, a kilometre away from the village. She dreamt of a time where she would no longer have to walk far distances and wait in long lines to collect adequate water for her family.

CARE and its local implementing partner, Fundasaun Knua Haberan Comunidade, through the AHP’s Disaster READY program, facilitated a meeting with the local Suco Disaster Management Committee where decisions were made to implement activities to protect existing water sources identified by community members and to build a clean water system in the area. In early December 2023, the Disaster READY team began mobilising materials to support Margarida and her community to build a clean water system. Margarida and other community members prepare the necessary construction materials to build the water facility, and with hard work, the construction of the clean water facility was completed at the end of April 2024. Finally, the dream that Margarida once had is now a reality.

“The difficult situation involving clean water that we experienced previously for almost 23 years, has now been resolved,” Margarida said, joyfully. “Parents don’t have to go far to fetch water and children no longer have to walk far distances to take showers before school. Now, our children have more time to study and prepare well before school in the morning, and in the afternoon, they can happily play and be involved in other family activities.”

Through Disaster READY, initiatives to increase water accessibility to rural communities offer a multiplier effect. On one hand, community members can attend to their basic needs. On the other hand, they have the means to prepare and protect themselves from the worst that can happen when facing a climate hazard. Disaster READY focuses on ensuring vulnerable groups, including women like Margarida, people living with disabilities, and children, are included and accounted for in disaster preparedness, management, and risk reduction activities.