Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Initiatives

The need

World Vision’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programming approaches the world’s challenges for safe water, improved sanitation, and good hygiene in an integrated manner to optimize the positive health and economic impacts.

“Safe” water must address water quality to prevent water-related diseases and also be close enough to the user’s domicile to encourage use of the water source. Sanitation involves both physical infrastructure, such as latrines, and also the use and maintenance of the sanitation facilities. Good hygiene is the practice of cleanliness, such as handwashing, to prevent diseases.

Worldwide, 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and 2.5 billion lack basic sanitation. In addition, just not having enough water is a growing problem. The demand for water across the globe is steadily increasing at a rate of 100 percent every 20 years as industrialization, agricultural use, urbanization, and a rising standard of living for the world’s growing population drive consumption higher. This puts entire communities at risk in regard to health, food production, economic opportunities, development, and the lives of their most vulnerable members—children.

By 2025, it is estimated that more than 2.8 billion people in 48 countries will face water stress or scarcity. Safe drinking water, improved sanitation, good hygiene, and good water resource management can lead to a reduction in child mortality, cut transmission of malaria, improve public health, and reduce extreme poverty.

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Fast facts

• More than 6,000 children die each day, mostly under the age of 5, from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation facilities. (World Heath Organization, "Safer Water, Better Health," 2008)
• More than 50 percent of all mortality associated with under-nutrition is attributable to diarrhea and worm infections caused by poor sanitation. (Tearfund/WHO)
• In nearly two-thirds of households, it is women who collect water. In the 12 percent of households where children collect water, girls are twice as likely as boys to be responsible. (UNICEF/WHO)
• 443 million school days per year are lost to water-related illness. (WaterAid)

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World Vision's response

World Vision’s WASH programs encompass safe water provision and improved sanitation provision, education on water-related diseases and good hygiene, and capacity building for sustainability of improved public health. World Vision's strategy involves promoting sustainable water management and fostering partnerships for water, sanitation, and hygiene development, as well as creating awareness and promoting advocacy. This includes a focus on reaching children through communities, schools, and health centers.

Over the past 25 years, 11 million rural inhabitants in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have gained access to safe drinking water through World Vision's (WV) integrated and environmentally sustainable programming.

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Key projects

World Vision is partnering with local communities, governments, organizations, and generous donors to provide another 5 million people access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and good hygiene. We are currently working to bring these life-saving interventions to:

COUNTRY	TARGET BENEFICIARIES
Ethiopia	600,000
Ghana	330,000
Kenya	700,000
Malawi	381,000
Mali	370,000
Niger	300,000
Uganda	392,000
Zambia	300,000
TOTAL	3,373,000

It is our goal to bring WASH programming to the following areas by 2015:

Bangladesh	Honduras
Dominican Republic	India
El Salvador	Mozambique
Haiti	Rwanda

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Collaborations and partnerships

• Member of Millennium Water Alliance, a consortium of humanitarian NGOs funded by several donors.
• Rotary Club
• Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
• Partners with USAID to Implement WASH projects around the world.

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