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  • Lesotho
Woman with hat carrying box on head, in front of lake.

Lesotho

Many communities lack basics such as a water supply and toilets, with serious health impacts. Life expectancy is just 45, one of the lowest in the world.

people in Lesotho don't have access to safe water. This is over one fifth of the population.

Over 1.6 million people don't have access to adequate sanitation in Lesotho, over two thirds of the population.

Over 300 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation in Lesotho.

Lesotho is a small country: an enclave within South Africa. Two in five people live below the poverty line, and despite the country's valuable natural resources it remains very poor.

The crisis

Due to its high altitude, Lesotho benefits from a relatively high level of rainfall, and even exports water to South Africa. However, there are severe water supply problems in the country.

Almost three quarters of the population lack access to a simple toilet. As a result, they have no choice but to defecate in the open, which is one of the main causes of diarrhoeal diseases.

Adult literacy is high at 90%, but more information on good hygiene practice is needed. Poor hygiene is a serious issue in Lesotho, contributing to ill-health and many children dying before the age of five.

Our approach

WaterAid is currently assessing the capacity of those responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene in Lesotho. This will help us target our efforts and select the most effective partners to work with.

We also hope to provide technical support and guidance to the national Government. Together we can develop accurate monitoring systems to find those most in need and improve the reliability of water points.

We plan to help communities install simple, affordable and sustainable technologies. We will focus on improving access to safe water and toilets for marginalised people, such as those living with HIV/AIDS.