Maria's story

Time makes all the difference for Maria

Timor-Leste (East Timor) is one of the poorest countries in Asia. Most rural communities have no access to safe water or basic sanitation.

WaterAid has been working in Timor-Leste since 2005 and has an office in the capital, Dili. WaterAid works with a number of partners including Plan and a local organisation called Naroman Timor Lorosae (NTL), we deliver water and sanitation programs to communities in dire need.

Before the program

Maria lives in the Aileu District, in a rural community of 435 people. She is a widow and cares for nieces and nephews adopted from her sister. Before WaterAid delivered safe water and sanitation to Maria’s community, her daily life was very difficult.

For four months of the year, Maria collected water from a stream 200 metres from her house. The stream only carried water during the wet season and the steep bank was slippery and difficult to climb in the rain.

Maria used the stream water for cooking, cleaning dishes and drinking. The community also used the stream as their toilet and for washing clothes.

“People in the village suffered from lots of coughs and cold, upset tummies, malaria,” remembers Maria. “When we had enough wood I would boil the water before I gave it to my nieces and nephews, so that it would be better for them to drink.”

Every dry season, the stream dried out, forcing Maria to source water from a distant river about 750 metres from her home. She made the journey twice a day, collecting water in jerry cans for her family. Maria says these trips took between one and two hours every day.

Clean water and a kitchen garden

WaterAid provided a shared community tap stand to Maria’s community, sited close to her home. Maria was keen to help set it up, collecting sand for the cementing.

A safe, convenient water source has opened up new possibilities for Maria. With the time she saves collecting water, she is able to concentrate on her priorities – cooking, cleaning and looking after her children. She even helps tend a neighbourhood kitchen garden, providing food for her family.

“We are growing vegetables like tomatoes, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Now my children will not be hungry.”

When clean water first flowed to the village from the tap stand, it was a time for celebration.

“We were very excited,” remembers Maria.  “We had a party and even killed a pig to share with the people from WaterAid, PLAN and NTF who had worked hard with us to bring the water to our houses.”

 
A new latrine

Maria’s community had been using the local stream as a toilet.  WaterAid and Plan supplied Maria with concrete and a pan to build her own pour flush latrine.

“I built the walls and roof for this toilet,” she explains. “My neighbour helped me dig the hole. I keep my toilet clean by sweeping it every day and cleaning it. Now I don’t need to be embarrassed and go to the stream where everyone can see me.”

“I spend much less time collecting water and we have plenty of water all year round to drink, wash our dishes, wash our hands and bodies and also cook with.” Maria, Aileu, Timor-Leste