Mary Acheo, 28, lives in Olo-Obande, a rural community in Ado local government area, Benue, north-central Nigeria. Mary makes and sells pap, a traditional food that requires a lot of water to make. But in Olo-Obande there is only one borehole, which is currently broken down.
Hand washing alone could cut the risk of diarrhoea almost in half, saving hundreds of lives every day.
During the rainy season, residents of Ugbolojor, a village in Benue, Nigeria, get up at 5am to collect water from a stream, taking around two hours to collect. The HSBC water programme in Nigeria aims to reach more than 170,000 people with safe water and more than 300,000 people with sanitation.
Victoria Otse, 45 is a mother of five: "During dry season the water is coloured because of the leaves that will fall in. Animals go and drink the same water. That’s the water I give to my children...It means they get sick - sicknesses like cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid and other."
A boy drinking water from one of the two functioning bore holes in Etenyi village. Where there is a lack of safe water and sanitation, it is children who suffer most. Their health, well-being and education are all affected.
Chibike, 8, taking a shower in one of the flowing gutters in Etenyi village, Benue state. Improving hygiene behaviour is vital if the full benefits of access to water and sanitation are to be realised.
The effects of a lack of safe water and sanitation are felt most by women and girls. Girls often begin collecting unsafe water as children and continue to collect and carry water throughout their lives.
Enkwna, 8, on her daily journey to collect water with other young girls from her village in Benue state.
