Around the world, access to clean water means better health, more time for meaningful work, and new opportunities for income. It sustains families, supports local economies, and builds resilience in the face of growing environmental challenges. In both Bolivia and Nepal, CHOICE Humanitarian’s community-led water initiatives show how access to water can transform daily life and strengthen entire communities. These are the stories of two strong women on opposite sides of the world who are shaping the future of their communities through access to clean water.
Irma Delia Mercado Mamani, 59 years old, lives in the community of Contorno Pallcoso. She dedicates her time to making traditional skirts (polleras) and raising livestock in her community. She is also responsible for the education and nourishment of her seven children; five of whom already have their own families, while two are still studying and helping with household chores.
Originally from the municipality of Viacha, Irma has lived in Contorno Pallcoso for 17 years. The lack of water in her community has become a serious problem due to prolonged drought and environmental contamination affecting many families in the area.
With the timely support of CHOICE Humanitarian through the drinking water system project and various training workshops, Irma decided to break away from traditional male-dominated roles. Through the plumbing workshops, she chose to become one of the community’s female plumbers, proving her skills and challenging gender stereotypes.
“Sometimes we depend on men, but at some point, we women should learn too. With the training from CHOICE Humanitarian Bolivia, I told myself, I can do it—I can keep learning,” said Irma.
Irma is one of many mothers in Contorno Pallcoso who face significant barriers in the workforce. Despite these challenges, she has gained valuable knowledge through sustainable project training sessions and proudly says that she is now in charge of her own household’s water installation. “The trade I’m learning is for myself, and I will personally install the water system in my home.”
With gratitude, Irma shares these words: “We women should learn and not always depend on men.” She encourages all the women in her community to keep participating and strengthening their skills through the different workshops. “I was inspired to do installations for my community too. I have that ability—I know I can, and I’ll keep learning,” says Irma Delia Mercado, in a message full of motivation and empowerment.
Generational Change for Thuli and Her Neighbors
In Salampur, Nepal, generations have endured the same daily struggle—hauling heavy containers of water on their backs for hours each morning. “Many generations spent their lives carrying water on their backs,” recalls community member Thuli Thing. “I can hardly believe my eyes that we can get water just by opening the faucet established in our yard.”
Before, the journey to fetch water took an hour and a half each way. “While carrying water, we had to rest at three different stops. We would be carrying water all morning,” Thuli says. During the summer, nearby water sprouts offered some relief, but for six long months of the dry season, villagers had no choice but to make the trek.
Eighty-year-old Buddharam Thing remembers that six generations of his family lived this way. Across the 17 homes in Salampur, the story was much the same. Twenty-one years ago, an organization helped each family build two rainwater harvesting tanks with a 2,000-liter capacity, but these systems could not sustain them during the seven-month dry seasons.
The lack of reliable water pushed many young people to leave the village in search of work. “The youths didn’t like to live in the village with the water crisis and limited options to sustain themselves,” one community member shared. Others came back only for short periods to help plant corn or assist with construction.
The water scarcity also affected education. Parents spent mornings fetching water, leaving little time to prepare food or get their children ready for school. Some children attended class on empty stomachs, and others dropped out entirely: six in just one year. As the crisis deepened, families who could afford to migrate left, and the once-lively village neared desertion.
Now, through CHOICE Humanitarian’s partnership with the community, a technology-based running water system has been constructed. All 17 households, and the local school, now have easy access to clean water. Thuli is already thinking about how she’ll use her new time: “As we have water in our homes, now we can use our leisure time productively. I have a plan to keep goats.”
For Thuli and her neighbors, access to water means more than convenience; it marks the beginning of a new chapter for their community.