Mayu’s Story of the Need for True Water True Life

Where does Mayu live?

Let’s travel to Peru!
Peru is the third largest country in South America, after Brazil and Argentina!

And Piura is a region in northwest Peru, surrounding desert landscapes, tropical dry forests and Pacific coastline.

It is one of the warmest regions in Peru and a home to over 2,700 countryside communities.

And here are the seven communities that belong to our story. Can you tap on Mayu’s community name?

Scroll down to see the story of Mayu’s community in Cerro de Leones, swipe right or left to switch to other stories. Tap on the illustrations to magnify them.Pass your mouse over the illustrations to magnify them.

Mayu's story is now silent, but once we begin our activity in hers, or any other community, the pictures will come to life, taking on color and movement. You will see the progress of our campaigns and work!

Oh, and you can get each story in a coloring book!

Carrizalillo
Let's help Carrizalillo!
Carrizalillo is the smallest community. There are only 80 people living there.
There are only 17 children in Carrizalillo and there is no school, so the children go to other communities. They too, are losing almost half a school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Carrizalillo have to walk a few minutes to a groundwater well to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Carrizalillo by building a much improved Groundwater well. It would filter danger pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Carrizalillo!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Carrizalillo children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Carrizalillo!
Cerro de Leones
Let's help Cerro de Leones!
Cerro de Leones is Mayu’s home!
It is close to Carrizalillo, and there are 550 people living there.
There are 176 children in Cerro de Leones and they have two schools, but they are losing almost two and a half school days, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Cerro de Leones have to walk a half an hour to the river water to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Cerro de Leones by building a water treatment facility, connected to their river water. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Cerro de Leones!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Cerro de Leones children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Cerro de Leones!
Las Mercedes KM11
Let's help Las Mercedes KM11!
Las Mercedes KM11 is also a big community. There are 1,025 people living there.
There are 205 children in Las Mercedes KM11 and one school, but they are losing almost half a school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Las Mercedes KM11 have to walk half an hour to a water canal to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Las Mercedes KM11 by building a water treatment facility, connected to their water canal. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Las Mercedes KM11!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Las Mercedes KM11 children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Las Mercedes KM11!
La Merced
Let's help La Merced!
La Merced is one of three close by communities with very similar names. There are 200 people living there.
There are 42 children in La Merced, and they have two schools, but they are losing almost a full school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in La Merced have to walk a few minutes to a water canal to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in La Merced by building a water treatment facility, connected to their water canal. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all La Merced!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the La Merced children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help La Merced!
Totoral Bajo
Let's help Totoral Bajo!
Totoral Bajo is just next to Totoral Alto! There are 415 people living there.
There are 66 children in Totoral Bajo, and they have two schools, but they are losing more than a full school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Totoral Bajo have to walk a few minutes to a water canal to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Totoral Bajo by building a water treatment facility, connected to their water canal. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Totoral Bajo!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Totoral Bajo children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Totoral Bajo!
Las Mercedes
Let's help Las Mercedes!
Las Mercedes is the biggest community! There are 1,200 people living there.
There are 120 children in Las Mercedes and one school, but they are losing almost half a school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Las Mercedes have to walk a few minutes to a water canal to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Las Mercedes by building a water treatment facility, connected to their water canal. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Las Mercedes!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Las Mercedes children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Las Mercedes!
Totoral Alto
Let's help Totoral Alto!
Totoral Alto is just below Cerro de Leones. There are 131 people living there.
There are only 46 children in Totoral Alto and there is no school, so the children go to other communities. They too, are losing almost half a school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Totoral Alto have to walk a few minutes to a water canal to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Totoral Alto by building a water treatment facility, connected to their water canal. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Totoral Alto!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Totoral Alto children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Totoral Alto!
Carrizalillo
Let's help Carrizalillo!
Carrizalillo is the smallest community. There are only 80 people living there.
There are only 17 children in Carrizalillo and there is no school, so the children go to other communities. They too, are losing almost half a school day, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Carrizalillo have to walk a few minutes to a groundwater well to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Carrizalillo by building a much improved Groundwater well. It would filter danger pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Carrizalillo!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Carrizalillo children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Carrizalillo!
Cerro de Leones
Let's help Cerro de Leones!
Cerro de Leones is Mayu’s home!
It is close to Carrizalillo, and there are 550 people living there.
There are 176 children in Cerro de Leones and they have two schools, but they are losing almost two and a half school days, every week!
Why is that?
The children have no access to safe water, toilets and soap for hand washing at school, or at their homes. Actually, all families in Cerro de Leones have to walk a half an hour to the river water to get any water.
But why do they miss school?
It is because of the contaminated water, and not having ways to keep them healthy. The water tests show too many pollutants that are not allowed in drinking water and cause the children to be very sick and lose many school days.
Contaminated water is water with pollutants.
Pollutants are any contaminant, such as biological or inorganic waste products, which are dangerous to our environment and more particularly in this case to the quality of the water.
MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level of pollutants that is allowed in our drinking water.
Biological means from living matter: bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Inorganic means chemical contaminants which can be naturally- occurring (salts, metals), or from wastewater discharges (oil, gas, mining, farming).
What does VAVV do?
The VAVV team plans to help all children and families in Cerro de Leones by building a water treatment facility, connected to their river water. It would remove all pollutants and allow safe an easy access to healthy water in all Cerro de Leones!
They also plan to teach daily hygiene habits, specially how to wash hands regularly, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Treatment Facility cleans, disinfects and test water before you use it in your home and other places.

Donate
What can you do?
It is so simple! Join VAVV team by telling the story of the Cerro de Leones children in your class, and perhaps suggest your teacher to create a fundraising campaign to help them!
We can all be healthy and happy:
"True Water True Life."
Don’t forget to send us your colored pages of Cerro de Leones!
We would love to see all your class paintings!
Let's help Cerro de Leones!

Cerro de Leones

A story designed
by ami-duet

We're Anne-Marie Dufour and Inbal Rief, the ami-duet, and together we design and develop data visualizations.

‘Mayu’ is our first project with Viz for Social Good (what a fantastic community👏) created for Vera Aqua Vera Vita. The name 'Vera Aqua Vera Vita' means ‘True Water True Life’, and it reflects their desire to see people flow from simply surviving to truly thriving!

Our idea was to visualize the story of seven communities and VAVV activity, in a coloring book style, with educative illustrations. We see 'Mayu' next, as a global social campaign in multiple languages, in which children can participate by printing the stories, coloring them, and organizing fundraising activities for their classes.

When VAVV launches their campaign for one or more of Piura's communities, you will witness the illustrations gradually coming to life, taking on color and movement, indicating the fundraising progress.

*This is why we have just colored the first illustration in each story.

We hope to color many wonderful communities by spreading awareness of the global water crisis and helping VAVV reach their goals. Join us, we are just getting started.

ami duet

Donate