Water relief for families affected by Bolivian drought

With your support, our colleagues at WWF-Bolivia have installed a well with a solar-powered pumping system that will provide fresh water for members of the Bahía Negra community, whose territory forms part of an important conservation area.

Around twice the size of Northern Ireland, the San Matías natural area encompasses three extraordinary landscapes: the wetlands of the Pantanal, the savannahs of the Cerrado and the Chiquitano tropical dry forest. It’s home to iconic species including jaguars, hyacinth macaws and giant anteaters.

Indigenous communities including the Bahía Negra have helped to conserve the region’s amazing nature for generations. But climate change and the conversion of natural ecosystems for cattle ranches and farms are threatening people’s livelihoods as well as wildlife.

As forests are cleared and climate change intensifies, the region is seeing less rainfall. Wetlands are drying up and erosion is increasing. On top of this, San Matías has suffered from extreme forest fires – some set deliberately to clear land for farming.

Water scarcity threatens humans and wildlife alike, and also increases the risk of conflict as people and wild animals compete for scarce resources.

With your help, we drilled a well to serve 13 families, providing drinking water in one of the worst-affected communities in the Pantanal. We also provided training in how to operate and maintain the solar pumping system.

“WWF’s work seeks that both people and nature thrive together,” says Samuel Sangüeza Pardo from WWF-Bolivia. “But this won’t be possible if families and communities that live sustainably in protected areas don’t have the conditions to face the effects of climate change and continue to be the main protectors of nature.”

Fresh water is vital for everyone – thanks for helping us provide it!