08/30/2026
"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." -Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)
At 87 years old, Melania Nyirahabiyambere survived attacks and terror that altered the course of her
life, ultimately forcing her to flee for her safety.
As a survivor of some of the worst days of Rwanda’s history— the 1994 genocide—she thought her heaviest struggles were behind her.
Yet, even at 87, she faced a daily struggle she couldn’t escape—gathering water.
In her community of Buhaza, there was no safe water nearby. Those who were strong enough made the
trek to local swamps to gather unsafe water for their families.
But for Melania, that was simply not possible. The distance was too far, the terrain too difficult.
This meant that most days, Melania waited for her neighbors to bring her contaminated water.
Even though it was contaminated and caused frequent illnesses, it was their only option.
Then, something changed.
Living Water Rwanda, working alongside local partners, established a piped water system near Melania’s home.
For the first time in her life, access to water no longer depended on strength, distance, or waiting.
When Melania attended the commissioning of the new system; she shared what it meant to her:
“In all my life, this is the first time I can access safe water. And the water is near my home! For someone
who is old and lives alone, it is easy now to ask the youth to gather water for me.
Having piped water here is a real miracle.”
