Three Programs, One Purpose: How GivePower Brought Safe Water to La Sierpe, Colombia

In La Sierpe, a remote community inside Colombia’s Uramba Bahía Málaga National Natural Park, GivePower combined three of its programs for the first time to provide safe drinking water. With support from Toray USA, the new solar-powered system produces 600 liters of safe drinking water every two hours, improving community health and supporting La Sierpe’s growing ecotourism economy.

In one of the most biodiverse regions along Colombia’s Pacific coast, a remote community is building a healthier, more hopeful future.

Accessible only by a two-hour boat ride from Buenaventura, La Sierpe is located deep within Uramba Bahía Málaga National Natural Park. Despite the region’s abundant rainfall, families have historically lacked access to safe drinking water. During the dry season, many households lack water for cooking, cleaning and washing clothes.

Over the years, community leaders have worked closely with GivePower to address local challenges. In 2020, GivePower brought reliable electricity to the local school. Three years later, a micro aqueduct made water easier to access during the dry season.

Together, these projects created a strong foundation for La Sierpe’s next priority: safe drinking water.

Meeting that need required a new approach. For the first time, GivePower’s Trek, Solar Water Solutions and Solar Impact Project teams joined forces on one project.

Across GivePower’s work, each program creates a different pathway to lasting positive impact. Solar Impact Projects bring clean, reliable energy to places the grid doesn’t reach, while Solar Water Solutions use that energy to transform unsafe, contaminated water into safe drinking water. And through GivePower Treks, donors travel to remote communities and work side by side with local teams and residents for seven days to build solar solutions from the ground up.

In La Sierpe, the strengths of all three programs came together in a new model that combined water treatment expertise, solar technology and the hands-on Trek experience. Twelve team members from Toray USA traveled to La Sierpe to help install a new system that produces 600 liters of safe drinking water every two hours. Toray USA develops the reverse osmosis membranes used in GivePower’s Solar Water Solutions, and their expertise in water filtration made them especially well suited to the project.

For the Trekkers, the experience offered a rare opportunity to see their work in action. The same membrane technology they help create would now provide a remote community in Colombia with reliable access to safe drinking water for the first time.

For residents of La Sierpe, the positive impact will extend far beyond the system itself. Safe drinking water will help improve community health and reduce waterborne illnesses, particularly among children. Women will also be able to spend less time collecting water and more time working and pursuing new opportunities.

Reliable access to safe water can also strengthen the local economy. Safe drinking water is essential to La Sierpe’s growing ecotourism initiatives, helping the community host visitors without the health risks associated with untreated water. Local entrepreneurs also plan to sell the treated water to neighboring communities, creating new sources of income and extending the project’s positive impact across the region.

With support from Toray USA and the combined strengths of GivePower’s three programs, each project in La Sierpe has built on its strong local leadership. The community was already defined by hard work and possibility. Now, residents have even more tools to protect their health, expand economic opportunity and build a future where they can thrive.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What did GivePower accomplish in La Sierpe, Colombia?

In La Sierpe, a remote community reachable only by a two-hour boat ride from Buenaventura, GivePower installed a solar-powered water treatment system that produces 600 liters of safe drinking water every two hours. The project followed earlier GivePower work in the community, which brought reliable electricity to the local school in 2020 and a micro aqueduct in 2023.

What are GivePower’s three programs?

GivePower works through three complementary programs. Solar Impact Projects bring clean, reliable energy to places the grid doesn’t reach. Solar Water Solutions use solar energy to transform unsafe, contaminated water into safe drinking water. And GivePower Treks bring donors to remote communities to work alongside local teams and residents for seven days, building solar solutions from the ground up. In La Sierpe, all three came together on a single project for the first time.

Who is Toray USA and what was their role?

Toray USA develops the reverse osmosis membranes used in GivePower’s Solar Water Solutions. Twelve Toray USA team members traveled to La Sierpe as Trekkers to help install the new system, applying their water filtration expertise directly in the field.

How can I get involved with GivePower?

Visit GivePower’s website to learn more about GivePower’s programs and ways to get involved.