Maria Felipe needs a water filter

We've recently found out that Maria Felipe needs a water filter.  For just $63 you could gift Maria with a brand new water filter, which will give her fresh, clean water for at least a year and a half.  It is customary here for the elderly to drink coffee in the morning and in the afternoon.  Maria cannot afford to buy pure bottled water, it is too expensive.  So, she tries to boil the water to purify it, but her health is frail and she becomes ill easily.  Gifting her with a water filter will help keep Maria healthy and allow her to enjoy many cups of coffee without risk of getting parasites or other water-borne diseases!

If you would like to help Maria Felipe, please go to Donate Now and scroll down.  Enter your donation in the "Other $" box.  In the "Details" box, write "A30 Filter". Thank you so much!

Biography: Maria Felipa Coros

Maria Felipa Coros (A30)

Maria is 74 years old (in 2011) and lives in San Jorge. She never went to school and primarily speaks Kaqchiquel. Maria has been widowed for many years, but she has two daughters and one son who are still living. Only one of her daughters helps her financially and gives her some food. However, the help and food that she receives from her daughter is very little because her daughter has her own children whom she struggles to provide for. Maria lives in a one-room home, which is small and very simple. The home is made half of cement block and half of wooden plywood. There is only a dirt floor. Maria doesn't have a water filter, stove, pila, or shower. She has no place to keep her clothes except in a cardboard box. She doesn't have any tables or chairs, but she does have one bed made of wood.

Maria Felipa needs food

Maria Felipe with her newly donated bed

Maria Felipa Coros is 75 years old and lives in a house in the hills above San Jorge. She has lived alone since her husband died roughly 30 years ago, and she has no family to assist her. To say that her house is hard to get to would be an understatement. The trek up the long dirt path, which is interrupted frequently by rocks and roots, is difficult for a healthy person; for Maria, who has trouble seeing and cannot wear real shoes, the walk is downright treacherous.  Because her home does not have running water, she must often make the hike with a container full of water from the communal water source.

Mayan Families' generous donors have already provided Maria with a stove, bed and water filter, but because she cannot work and has no family support her, her stove is usually empty.  She rarely eats more than what is provided by Mayan Families--she usually saves one or two tortillas from lunch to serve as both dinner and the next day's breakfast. 


Maria's feet, which cause her so much pain that she can't
wear any shoes, save these plastic sandals.



To help make Maria's breakfasts and dinners more substantial, you can give a one time or a monthly food donation.  To make a one-time donation, go to Donate Now--enter your donation in the "Other" box, and enter "A30" in the details section. You can also set up an automatic monthly gift in order to give Maria the stability of a regular food donation.  To do so, go to Donate Monthly, and enter "A30" as the family name.