In a village within Kagogo, Rwanda, Immaculate and her husband, Felicien, have raised their six children in a community that is flourishing thanks to the work of World Relief and partners like 20 Liters.
Immaculate is a devoted member of the Catholic Church RCC Gitare and remembers when the church’s focus was solely spiritual. “Before World Relief came to our community,” she recalls, “our church focused mainly on spiritual matters. There were no initiatives to support the poor or to promote social and economic development.”
That began to change when World Relief began partnering with her church. One of the most impactful moments for her family came when they received a household water filter from 20 Liters.
“For years, we drank untreated water straight from Lake Burera,” Immaculate says. “I tried boiling it when I could, but we had limited access to firewood or charcoal making that difficult. My husband needed clean water for his health condition, but we simply could not manage. The children in our neighborhood – including my own grandchildren – were often sick with diarrhea. It was heartbreaking.”
The household water filter changed everything.
With access to clean water every day, Immaculate shares, “My husband’s health has improved. Our children and neighbors are no longer sick. We barely visit the health center anymore.”
But the transformation didn’t stop there.
Through her church, Immaculate joined a Savings for Life group – World Relief’s program that equips individuals with the tools and knowledge to build savings and invest in their future. With her first round of savings, she bought a pig. The manure boosted soil fertility and improved her crops. With her next round, she started a small business selling amamera (soaked sorghum), increasing her income and improving her family’s quality of life.
Immaculate is deeply thankful to her church, World Relief and 20 Liters for their commitment to serving her community in both word and deed.
“You have changed not only my life, but the lives of many others. I am forever grateful for this life-changing experience,” Immaculate concludes with deep gratitude.
