Mabel's Habitat for Humanity build in Brazil

Hello,

One important lesson we share and model with our kids each and every year is that everyone can be of service to others. Together our family has had the honor to volunteer locally with several different wonderful organizations.

I've been fortunate to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity locally in NC in the past. This year, I am embarking on a new service opportunity with Habitat International in Brazil. Please join me in supporting local families' access to clean water.

In Brazil, 48 million people do not have access to clean water. This, coupled with extreme drought throughout the country, has dried up access to safe, drinkable water. Habitat Brazil has been especially active in the Northeast Semiarid region by working with partner organizations as part of the Water for Lives project to provide access to water in drought-prone rural areas where the average income is significantly less than the minimum wage of about 263 USD. Lack of water has forced families, predominantly women and children, to walk long distances each day to collect water. This can take up to 2 hours each way, and this activity has been proven to impact educational, financial, and health outcomes.

Since 2012, Habitat Brazil began building 16,000-liter cisterns to collect and store rainwater. This is a local technology that can last between 20 to 30 years. To date, Habitat Brazil has built 615 cisterns.

Volunteers will be partnering with a Riacho das Almas community, a town of 20,000 individuals in the state of Pernambuco, by building a single cistern. Volunteers will help a building contractor and local volunteers with cement preparation, constructing cement panels, plastering, painting, and installing water pumps.

Your donation will cover the cost of my meals, lodging, etc; all remaining funds will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Thank you for helping families access clean water!