What does WaterAid do?

1. What is WaterAid?

WaterAid is an international non governmental organisation dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world's poorest people. So far we have helped over 8.5 million people gain access to safe water through low-cost, sustainable projects using appropriate technology that can be managed by the community itself.  

WaterAid also seeks to influence the policies of other key organisations, such as governments, to secure and protect the right of poor people to access safe, affordable water and sanitation services. 

2. Does WaterAid work with poor communities and indigenous communities in Australia and other developed countries?

No. WaterAid Australia does not work on domestic issues.

WaterAid is an international development organisation. Its purpose is to provide access to water and sanitation and hygiene education to some of the poorest communities in the developing world.

WaterAid currently works in 17 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region. These countries are Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia in Africa; Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan in Asia; and Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste in the East Asia/Pacific region.

WaterAid’s approach includes using the practical examples from our project work to demonstrate good practice through our global advocacy work. We aim to change policies and practices in the developing countries around the world that impact upon people's access to these basic needs. In Australia, WaterAid seeks to work with the Australian Government to advocate and influence its international aid and development assistance program that aims to improve the lives of people in extreme poverty in the East Asia and Pacific region.

Organisations that work with Australian indigenous and poor communities include Oxfam Australia, through the "Close the Gap" campaign, Amnesty International Australia through the "Human Dignity" campaign and Reconciliation Australia.

3. Where does WaterAid work?

WaterAid works in 17 of the world's poorest countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region. These countries are Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia in Africa; Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan in Asia; and Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste in the Pacific region.

These countries were specifically selected following a set of criteria including:

• The country is at the bottom end of the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Human Development Index
• A significant number of people lack access to water and sanitation
• The government's attitude to international NGOs is a positive one
• There are local organisations present with whom WaterAid could work in partnership with
• There is a sense that WaterAid could add value to the water and sanitation sector in the country
• Political stability allows our projects to have long term sustainability

Find out more about where we work.

4. There are other countries which need water and sanitation too. Why doesn't WaterAid work there?

As the scale of the global water and sanitation problem is so vast and as we only have limited resources we are unable to reach everyone who needs support. Instead, WaterAid has chosen to focus its work in 17 countries (listed above) in the coming years so that it can make a significant and lasting contribution to those living without safe water and sanitation in each country.

We will then use the practical examples from our project work to demonstrate good practice through our global advocacy work where we aim to change policies and practices around the world that impact upon people's access to these basic needs.