Building blocks of development

WaterAid believes that water, sanitation and hygiene education provide the building blocks for all other development.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Penn

As the headlines fill once again with the tragedy of famine in parts of Africa it is crucial to look at the impact that WaterAid projects have on the long-term development of communities living in the world's poorest countries.

The long-term benefits of WaterAid projects are much more than water and sanitation. WaterAid believes that water, sanitation and hygiene education provide the building blocks for all other development.

Without these three crucial elements communities remain stuck in a cycle of disease and poverty.

When safe water, sanitation and hygiene education are combined the health benefits are maximised and can reduce incidences of childhood diarrhoea by up to 95%.

Without disease communities are stronger and are not only more able to work or attend school but are also able to save the money that they normally spent on medicines.

The time saved collecting water enables more people to work and so, in turn, the economy grows and develops.

The long-term development work WaterAid is undertaking in water, sanitation and hygiene education enables people to plan and build community infrastructure which enables them to cope better in times of hardship.

In areas with WaterAid projects, life in times of drought is eased. Rather than searching for water and food, water is at least available close to home. Previously in times of drought women would spend hours searching for water, leaving little time to find food.

Cattle can also be watered, rather than sold or left to die. During famines hunger itself isn't the biggest killer - instead diseases sweep through weakened communities. With sanitation, water and hygiene people are less sick and so are better able to fend off disease.

In communities with more established water projects, for example in Iteya in the Hitosa region of Ethiopia, the water and sanitation projects have enabled the community to improve their economic status and make plans for future.

They are able to put provisions, including grain stores, clinics and schools in place which all enhance their resistance to stress.

In the short term water and sanitation projects can offer hope and resistance to communities. In the long term they can give communities a healthier, sustainable future.

WaterAid's work enables communities to break through the barriers of poverty and disease and give them a better quality of life.