U4C Center Impact Project

Water4All With Quaker Bolivia Link (QBL)

In rural Bolivia, Indigenous Aymara families are turning on taps in their own homes for the first time, and women are leading the committees that keep the water flowing. United4Change Center proudly carries forward the legacy of Quaker Bolivia Link (QBL USA), whose work has transformed the lives of thousands of Aymara families.

Since 2020, U4C and QBL Bolivia have built gravity powered water systems through the Water4All initiative and trained communities to manage and sustain them, after assessments led by the communities themselves identified water access as the primary barrier to health, nutrition, education, and income. This work is made possible by the generous support of The Rotary Foundation, Edge Philanthropy, and a committed community of donors who believe in water as the foundation for change. Clean water is a fundamental human right, and where it flows everything else begins to grow: health, dignity, peace, and opportunity.

The Challenge

Nearly 78% of rural Bolivians lack access to essential water services (INE 2021), and more than a million people in these areas rely on contaminated water from rivers and lakes. The consequences are devastating for children: Bolivia has the third highest rate of child mortality from waterborne diarrheal disease in the world (WHO 2017), and diarrhea remains the third leading cause of illness and death among Bolivian children under five (Pan American Health Organization). According to UNICEF, almost 90% of child deaths from diarrheal disease are directly linked to contaminated water, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene.

Poverty compounds the crisis. Over a third of Bolivians live below the poverty line, and rural Indigenous communities face the steepest barriers. When a community’s energy goes into basic survival, education, healthcare, and economic opportunity remain out of reach. Many of these communities speak their own native languages and experience high rates of illiteracy, which calls for culturally sensitive approaches that deliver meaningful, lasting impact. Climate change is now shrinking water availability even further, threatening the very sustainability of these communities and the health and wellbeing of their residents.

About Quaker Bolivia Link (QBL)

Quaker Bolivia Link (QBL) was founded in 1995 to address issues such as clean water, food security, and economic development amongst the Aymara people of the Altiplano. Over the past 25 years, much has been accomplished and thousands of indigenous families have been impacted with access to clean water, food security and sanitation training. However, there is still much work to be done! Climate change, COVID-19 and other challenges have added another dimension to these indigenous people’s daily lifestyle challenges, and now more than ever, we might proclaim, “El agua es vida – water is life”! QBL’s legacy continues with U4C Water4All with QBL, working in collaboration with QBL-UK and Fundacion Quaker Bolivia Link (FQBL) in La Paz, Bolivia. John Scardina, who served as the Clerk of QBL-USA for many years, and Jenny Reddick, also a former board member of QBL-US, have joined the Board of Directors of United4Change Center.

The Innovation

U4C leads the program in alliance with QBL Bolivia and local partners, and it goes beyond infrastructure. We build gravity powered water systems and pair them with holistic training so communities can maintain their own systems, with special focus on women, teachers, healthcare workers, and local leaders.

We design and deliver the SoyAgua (I Am Water) workshops with local authorities and schools, combining practical and theoretical learning on responsible water use, hygiene, environmental stewardship, and the prevention of waterborne and respiratory diseases.

We develop all materials in the local culture and language, in both Spanish and Aymara, including an animated video series starring SoyAgua, a culturally resonant water drop wearing a traditional Aymara chullu that community members helped design through a participatory process. Rooted in the eight Pillars of Positive Peace (Institute for Economics and Peace), the initiative promotes inclusive participation, strengthens local institutions, and expands access to essential services.

The Impact

Looking Ahead

In 2026, we are building sustainable potable water systems for the communities of Chijchi Baja and Collpa Belén in the municipality of Corocoro, La Paz. Supported by a Rotary Global Grant, the project includes water intakes, chlorination, storage, and household connections, alongside technical support, field supervision, and community training that empowers local leadership to manage the systems for the long term. The project will directly benefit more than 120 families, bringing safe water into the homes of over 600 Indigenous people for the first time.

And it reaches far beyond her home.

This movement is built on a simple truth: when one woman is supported, the impact doesn’t stop with her. It never does. It extends into her children, her neighbors, her community, into families, communities, and futures none of us will fully see, but all of us can help shape.