Deep in the lush forests of the Brazilian Amazon, Indigenous communities face a harsh reality behind the region’s natural beauty: water shortages and disease.

Source: Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 2022 Indigenous Population Census

Located on the outskirts of Presidente Figueiredo in the state of Amazonas, the Rio Canoas Indigenous Community is a remote and underserved area with little access to outside infrastructure. Every day, approximately 1,000 residents from 200 households must rely on polluted river water to meet their basic needs.

With no water supply or sewage systems in the community, residents have relied on the murky waters of a small stream known as an igarapé, which runs through the village. They use the water for daily needs and even drink it without filtering or boiling it. The contaminated water is rife with disease-causing pathogens, and many children in the community suffer from chronic skin conditions, diarrhea, and allergies. Although the village has a small health clinic, it operates only three days a week and has limited medical supplies. As a result, residents often cannot receive timely treatment when they fall ill.

The Urgent Pleas of an Indigenous Community

To help establish sustainable living conditions for residents, WeLoveU launched a phased and systematic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project.

When WeLoveU’s local assessment team visited the Rio Canoas community, residents spoke candidly about the hardships they faced and their urgent need for clean water.

“Everyone living along the river collects water from the igarapé to drink. Those who can afford it buy bottled water, but poor farmers with large families simply cannot. If clean drinking water becomes available here, people will come to collect it even if they have to travel by canoe. That is how desperately we need it.”

Maria José, Community Leader of Rio Canoas

“The biggest problem is having to give our children contaminated water to drink. They suffer from itching, allergies, and diarrhea every day, and we have had to take them to the hospital many times. If we continue drinking this water, we may have to endure these illnesses for the rest of our lives.”

Rio Canoas Community Resident

To help ease the residents’ suffering, WeLoveU identified a suitable drilling site and immediately began work to install a water pump.

Clean Water, Transformed Lives

At last, clear groundwater gushed from deep beneath the earth. On July 27, the Rio Canoas community came alive with celebration. A youth percussion band celebrated the completion of the drinking water supply system with lively music, while young children jumped for joy as water sprayed all around them.

“It has been difficult to obtain clean and safe drinking water in this area, but now we have access to it. We are able to use such high-quality water thanks entirely to the WeLoveU Foundation. I sincerely thank everyone at WeLoveU.”

Péricles Rodrigues do Nascimento, State Deputy, Amazonas

“Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah of WeLoveU has brought hope to the people of this community. This support will completely transform their lives. I am deeply grateful.”

Ubirajara Rosses do Nascimento Junior, Manaus City Councilor

“Until now, we could only receive drinking water through water delivery trucks, so this water pump is truly the best kind of support for us. It is especially helpful during the dry season, when water is scarce. This water is the greatest gift we could ask for. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Luiz, Vice President of the Residents’ Association

That day, WeLoveU also provided handwashing and hygiene education for children in the community, helping them develop healthy habits to protect themselves. After learning how to wash their hands thoroughly and properly, the children practiced the correct technique and naturally gained a better understanding of the importance of hygiene.

Life Before and After the WASH Project

Category	Before the Project	After the Project
💦 Drinking Water Supply	Residents collected and drank contaminated river water without treatment. During floods, even the existing shallow wells became muddy, causing severe shortages of drinking water.	The installation of a water pump and a large elevated storage tank provides a continuous supply of clean and safe drinking water.
💪 Community Health	Drinking untreated water repeatedly led to chronic intestinal inflammation, diarrhea, and skin conditions of unknown origin.	Access to clean water helps prevent waterborne diseases and reduce illness among infants and young children, while hygiene education helps residents better protect their own health.
⛑️ Daily Safety	Residents faced daily risks of falling on steep paths leading to the river and encountering dangerous wildlife, including crocodiles, snakes, and venomous insects.	Access to a communal water point in the center of the village eliminates the need to take hazardous routes to the river, reducing the risk of falls and encounters with dangerous wildlife.

Today, clean and safe water—essential to life—flows through the Rio Canoas Indigenous Community. WeLoveU members expressed their joy, saying, “We are truly happy to have been able to provide the clean drinking water this community has needed for so long.” They also shared their hope that residents and children would live happy, healthy lives free from the constant worry of illness.

WeLoveU hopes that life-giving water will flow to many more Indigenous communities in remote areas of the Amazon. We ask for your continued support and encouragement as WeLoveU continues reaching out to neighbors facing hardship.