Madelena's story

Madelena collects water from the new tap stand in her village.

Credit: WaterAid

Madelena lives in Manuquibia, in Liquica district in Timor Leste. Madalena is 20 years old and studied only up to primary school. Three times a day she helps her father collect water for her family’s use with cooking, cleaning and washing.

The nearest water source was an unprotected spring located 200 metres away from her home. It took her 20 minutes to get to the spring as her family uses 80 litres a day it would taker Madelena and her father several trips. As the spring was unprotected Madela and her family would often get sick with diarrhoea and intestinal worms. WaterAid Australia’s program has subsequently provided 28 households in Manuquiba with shared community tap stands. This program will save thousands of hours in water collection and the protected water source provides clean and safe water for people just like Madelena and her family.