He began by giving us some startling facts:

• 1.4 billion people across the world lack access to safe water
• Three billion people lack access to adequate sanitation
• Every eight seconds a child in the developing world will die from
  disease caused by unsafe water.
• The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is six kilometres (almost four miles).
• Almost one quarter of the world’s population lacks access to safe water. Half are in need of adequate sanitation

WaterAid was established in 1981 by employees of the UK water industry in order to help tackle the global crisis. Our daily use of water is something we take for granted. We turn on the tap, there it is and it’s safe. We average 135 litres of water a day whereas they use ten litres.

WaterAid projects use technologies that are low in cost, appropriate to local conditions and easy to operate and maintain and on average cost just over £11 for each person benefiting. Together with safe water, WaterAid also introduces sanitation facilities, such as latrines, and hygiene education into all its projects. Self help is the key to making sure that lasting improvements are made to water supplies and sanitation.

Local communities take the lead in planning and managing improvements to their water supplies. The community is gathered together at the outset of a project for the WaterAid workers to establish what diseases are common in the village - e.g. bilharzias, dysentery and typhoid - and how the project will be managed. All are consulted (even though the women are the main users of water) and a map is drawn to show the key features of the village and where to establish the best site for the new well or tap stand.

Everyone who can helps with the digging of trenches, often many kilometres, laying pipes and providing accommodation for outside helpers. On completion, the people are trained to look after their new water supply and to ensure that they are fully equipped to carry out any routine maintenance or repairs. All hand pump/ tap stand caretakers receive a set of tools to enable them to work efficiently and effectively.
With safe water close to home it means that women and children spend less time collecting their family’s daily water supply, which used to take hours and weigh up to 20 kg (45 lbs). Time can now be spent looking after home, family or working to bring more money into the home. Some children are now able to attend school for the first time.

Hygiene education is also emphasised to maximise the benefits of safe, clean water and sanitation. Attention is focused on personal hygiene, especially hand washing and protection of the water from contamination once it has been carried home, thereby preventing the spread of disease.

The problems seem huge but with WaterAid’s help solutions not only exist but can overcome. Money, of course, is urgently needed to fund the projects. In its twenty years WaterAid has helped over six million people to gain access to safe water and improve their quality of life.

Current programmes are to be found in Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Malawi, Madagascar, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

WaterAid is the UK’s only major charity dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene promotion to the world’s poorest people.

Linda Higman