Miriam Gutierrez, one of Water4Life Ministries partners, is essential in providing assistance to families in vulnerable conditions in both Mexico and Guatemala. Water4Life Ministries is one of Business Connect’s closest relationships and Miriam has been working with them through Sarape Social since last year. Miriam and I were able to dive deeper into what partners helping partners looks like and how that impacts these communities below. 

Where It All Began

Miriam originally started in the water filtration project by coordinating programs for Better Days to Grow, the comprehensive social program financed by Kellanova,  where she designed projects and brought them to life. That trickled into a role with Sarape Social, where she acts as Team Lead. She coordinates the entire operation and provides evaluations of these projects to their donors and investors. 

Her first encounter with Water4Life Ministries happened last year when she realized she had a deep connection to the issues plaguing Mexico and Guatemala. They both serve vulnerable families within their communities to ensure that everyone has access to clean water. 

Using Community Resources

Miriam and her team seek out communities that are affected by food insecurities, malnutrition, and no access to clean water. They personally go into their homes and communities to see what type of resources they have and how they can best utilize what is already available to them. The women in these communities are especially resilient and learn to work with what they have in order to care for their families. 

Specifically with the program in Mexico, Miriam and her team were able to secure an investment for a community garden. This allows the families to grow their own food and be able to take care of themselves with the resources they already have. Water4Life Ministries not only provides the water filters as a resource, but also education as well. They have sessions about the importance of drinking safe water and its impact on their children’s nutrition. The kids also participate in activities while their parents are receiving this education. It provides them with a safe space to have fun and learn new things. Miriam said, “We want these families to be independent so being able to provide this education for them with resources they already have access to is extremely important.” 

The main water filtration device that is provided for these families is the VF100. The VF100 attaches to any plastic bucket and most standard plastic bottles to provide clean water in minutes. The 0.1 micron filter protects against bacteria, parasites, and protozoan cysts. The device is easy to clean and lasts for many years when properly maintained. The VF100 is the perfect filter for situations where resources are limited and is an easy device to use. These filters are only provided through donations to Water4Life Ministries and Sarape Social. If you would like to find out more about making a donation, please visit https://water4lifeministry.org/. 

Four Strategies for Success

Miriam and her team have four main strategies that they adhere to when focusing on creating better living conditions for these families. 

1. Access to quality food. The program provides resources for family gardens, breakfast donation, and access to clean water to cook the food. They provide these options so that it will be sustainable even when the organization is no longer involved. 
2. Purified water. This team not only provides the filters, but education as well. They also provide education on how to use this water for hygiene and cleaning purposes, ensuring the entire household is taking advantage of the purified water. 
3. Community development. Miriam’s team also provides community service and expresses the importance of that aspect. They ensure that community members are going to the hospital when needed, have access to vaccines, and maintaining a healthy weight. They discuss healthy habits for their wellbeing and provide workshops about food nutrition and how to access that through their resources. 
4. Social empowerment. The team develops workshops so that the community can work together and get to know one another. This is a way for them to easily get to know their neighbors, learn how to work together, and help each other out when needed in the future. 

Most of the communities they impact are far from the city and do not have access to most things necessary for healthy living. Community involvement is especially important in these areas and can help make sure people are well educated and can provide for themselves. 

Planning for the Future

“I would love to see full nutrition for the children in the future,” Miriam said. 

This is definitely a very possible solution, but does not happen without the education aspect that Sarape Social provides. They wish to solve the root of the problem, which is why their four step process is so crucial. Miriam and her team do not want to just provide donations and then walk away; they want to be a true partner for the community in order to fix the entire issue. “We prefer to be part of the solution and not the problem,” she said. 

If you would like to find out more about Sarape Social and how you can help provide for these communities, check out their website. 

If you’re an NGO and interested in partnering with us, we offer products at near cost and consultations through our Business Connect for Water Solutions Hub. To find out more information, please visit our website.