In the remote villages of the Philippines, having a water pump can lead to a better life for mothers and kids alike.

As part of her daily life, Luzviminda had to boil water from her well for her family and businesses. Quite the entrepreneur, Luzviminda is a cook and caterer. The 41-year-old mother of four even ran her own sari-sari convenience store in her home neighborhood near Palayan City in the Philippines.

A bout with diabetes forced her to close the store so she could pay for her medical expenses. Unfortunately, shortly after her recovery her neighborhood was hit by Typhoon Lando and her home was damaged. Her family was forced to evacuate and live in a nearby school for a few days.

As her home was being repaired, Luzviminda took a WaterCredit loan to buy materials and hire a mason to construct a deeper water pump. She will be able to easily pay off the microloan in 12 monthly installments. With the current water scarcity in the Philippines, Luzviminda now has a source for clean water. Gone are the days of having to boil water before preparing meals and washing her family’s clothes. The drinking water is clear and her kids are able drink straight from the well.

Through a community education seminar about water and sanitation, Luzviminda also learned some tips for personal hygiene that she was able to share with her children. Her kids now smile and sing “Happy Birthday” while they wash their hands to make sure they are scrubbing long enough to get them thoroughly cleaned.

Luzviminda is very happy about the microloan. Once she pays it off, she plans to borrow more money to build a toilet so her family doesn’t have to use their neighbor’s.