Watch Carmelina’s story

Every morning, 11-year-old Carmelina sets out with her younger sister, 5-year-old Aracely, to climb down a steep mountain path in their home of Guatemala to collect the day’s water. It was on this same path that their mother fell and hit her head on a rock. Since she is now disabled, the girls have been forced into caretaker roles.

At the bottom of the path is a small hole leading to a narrow tunnel, which is dark and notoriously full of snakes. At the tunnel’s dead end, they get their water from a cloudy spring. This is the only water source for miles, so scared or not, the girls have to do this each day.

The return trip up the mountain is worse than the climb down. Carmelina has to balance a heavy water jug on her head. She gives Aracely a small bowl to carry, for she has to learn to do this task as well. Aracely spills most of the water right away as she slips and stumbles. If Carmelina spills her jug, she must return and repeat the process all over again.

This tragic story is repeated every day throughout the developing world. The worst part is often times, the water that takes hours to collect ends up sickening or even killing whoever drinks it.

But you can help innocent little girls like Carmelina through your gift for water. We need your support to drill more fresh water wells, construct more hygienic sanitation facilities and provide more water purification units.

Without clean water, children like Carmelina are doomed. The good news is that we can share the blessings we have to save lives and restore entire communities.