Clean water for all

For years, the small village of Ermeta in Bazartete, Liquica municipality, Timor-Leste, faced an everyday struggle that many of us take for granted—the ability to access clean water.

In this remote community, 39 households relied on a single fountain at the bottom of a steep hill to meet their daily water needs. But today, thanks to your generous support, that struggle has finally come to an end.

Thanks to your generosity and the wonderful work of our project partner Jesuit Social Service Timor-Leste, a new water facility has been constructed, bringing clean, reliable water to the people of Ermeta.

This life-changing project has transformed the lives of villagers like Marcelino, the village chief, who recalls the immense hardship his community faced.

"It was difficult during the summer but even more difficult when four to five families had to line up to get water from one fountain,” says Marcelino.

"Many times, a family could only bring back 10 litres of water for a whole day that would be used only for cooking and drinking.”

For Marcelino and his neighbours, the daily trek up and down the hill, often with small children in tow, was exhausting and dangerous.

"We had to carry the containers in our hands; we could not use our cart to help us because of the steep hills. My children could not lift heavy containers as they are still small,” says Anita, a mother in the village.

But now, with the installation of a solar-powered water pump and a reservoir system, the burden of collecting water has been lifted.

The system gathers water from the fountain, pumps it up the hill, and stores it in a main distribution tank. To ensure the sustainability of this vital resource, JSS is working with the community to promote water conservation and environmental protection.

"What we will do from now on is to conserve the water so that we will not run out of water during the summer," says Marcelino.

This project is made possible by your unwavering support. This year the water project has already benefitted around 5,000 people. Now rural communities can focus on improving their lives and the future of their children. Thank you for making clean water a reality for communities in need in Timor-Leste.