Before BWW arrived, we had different sources for getting water. One of the sources was a neighbor’s pump, where we had to pay 1 peso per bucket. It was heavy and tiring to carry the buckets, and even more difficult when it rained. Sometimes, we would shower there. Since the water wasn’t potable, we used it only for cooking.

When we had to fetch water at night, I would run back home because I was afraid of the dark.  I no longer have to worry about that now, and I feel safer.

I also have more free time to do other tasks and my homework. Having water at home is more comfortable and there are fewer worries. I see a better future for my entire family.

When I was 13, I experienced a fire in the neighborhood. We all panicked and didn’t know what to do. I just cried while waiting for the fire to be put out. Now that I’m a volunteer in the neighborhood fire brigade, I feel more confident. I know I won’t panic or feel disoriented. I know what to do, and I’ll be ready to take action. I’m proud that the community feels safe thanks to the volunteers. I’m also very proud and happy because our team won the recent Fire Olympics, which brought together several brigades.

I am now living comfortably with the water access provided by Tubig Pag-asa. I can still remember before Tubig Pag-asa came. Getting water was very hard for me. I’m already old that’s why it’s so hard for me to fetch water. My daughter felt sorry for me because of my age – she didn’t want me to carry buckets of water from the hand pump anymore. So, our family decided to be connected with water from Tubig Pag-asa. Getting water is no longer a daily struggle for me because it’s just inside our house. I have now water access. I am very happy and satisfied now because we are sure that we are consuming cheap and safe water.

Talking with my mom and BWW’s outreach workers reassured me a lot about my body. Esha

Esha and her family had some apprehension about women’s periods. Her mother would not let her out of the house during menstruation, forbidding her to engage in any activity and communicate with others. After participating in an awareness session together, Esha’s mother confessed that she had a better understanding of the phenomenon and no longer wanted to impose these restrictions on her daughter.

I volunteered to join the fire brigade because I realized I had to do something not for me only but for the community. Throughout the different firefighting activities and trainings organized by Eau et Vie, I learnt how to prevent and contain a fire.

I also appreciate the partnership between Water and Life and the local Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). “Safety first” – that is what I learnt with the BFP and Water and Life.

I used to have to hurry to line up at the well to collect water, carrying my Kolshi (jars of water). To have enough water for my family, I had to fill two of them, but this could lead to tensions or quarrels with neighbours who were also waiting to collect water.

Now I don’t have to worry about fetching water anymore. There are fewer diseases like diarrhoea in my family.

Era is quite a charismatic and energetic woman! A reason why the inhabitants asked her to be the community leader. She is also a facilitator for the local organisation in the Philippines (Water and Life). They always consult with her first, before any activities and she participates in all their activities. She is also in charge of many initiatives such as the monthly clean-up day or the building of concrete paths in the areas.

Community is very important to her, she thinks that every member got a responsibility and that community reinforcement will allow a better team work and living conditions.

It’s much more comfortable for me to have a toilet at home. The other alternative would have been to go to an unhygienic communal latrine 200 metres from my house. I feel very lucky.

We just had a baby. Having a toilet and running water inside the house allows us to keep our baby healthy as well as us. Fatema

Before getting married last year, Nuruz, a teacher and part-time contractor, decided to have a Biofil ecological toilet built in his home to provide the best living conditions for his wife. This was very important to him, especially since Fatema comes from a wealthier background, and he did not want to impose on her the constraints faced by other slum dwellers.

When they arrive in the shantytown, the inhabitants have access to water in their homes and are involved in the management of the service thanks to the sessions set up by the local teams on hygiene and fire prevention. But what is impressive is the reduction in the insalubrity of the place, waste is collected, drains are cleaned to prevent flooding, and the raised sidewalks enable people to walk in dry and cleaner conditions.

More than water, it is the entire slum that is impacted by the presence of Eau et Vie.