An indigenous family of 8 lives on this platform over a saltwater marsh on the coast of Central America. Their only fresh water is an hour upstream by canoe. But it’s called “sick water,” because it’s heavily polluted by people and animals living further upstream.

Do the parents know the danger to the kids?
Yes.

Do they have a choice?
No.

The mom says, "I know I’m giving my children sick water, but they get thirsty and it’s all I have. That’s why  they’re sick most of the time.”

“Safe drinking water must come first. Without that we’re fighting a losing battle.”

"Put a water tank in a village and the number of sick coming in drops right down. The effect is seen right off the bat.”

“My guess is that every dollar spent on safe drinking water saves ten dollars in medical treatment -- not to mention the suffering.”

“We see it time and again. They come in sick. We treat them and they get better.  Then they go home and drink polluted water. Before long they’re back again, worse off than before. A few cycles of this and their resistance is weakened. Chances are they’ll end up one of the 4,000 children who die every day from polluted water.”