Let's save water: Our first infrastructure project in San Andrés Cohamiata

For the Wixárika culture, water is not just a resource: it is life and it is sacred. Their rituals, their diet, and their relationship with Mother Earth depend on access to this vital element. However, today, water is one of the greatest challenges to their cultural and community survival.

When access to water is hours away

In some communities, women must walk up to four hours to reach a water tap that is shared by the entire community. If that tap stops working—sometimes for weeks—families are forced to walk an entire day to find another source. This burden falls mainly on women and girls, who must devote much of their time to a basic necessity.

The impact on daily life and culture

The lack of water has caused the death of up to 50% of livestock in recent years, due to climate change and prolonged drought. Corn, the basis of the Wixárika diet and spirituality, no longer grows sufficiently. This forces families to buy food from outside sources, weakening self-sufficiency and distancing new generations from their traditional way of life.

With farms lacking sufficient water, many young families migrate to cities in search of livelihoods. This means that parents leave their children with grandparents in the villages, making it increasingly difficult to keep the culture alive.