While Zambia's economy is growing, many challenges remain. Widespread poverty and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS mean the average life expectancy is just 47 years.

Nearly two people in three lack access to safe water and half the population has nowhere to go to the toilet. These problems are having a big impact on health – 10,000 children die every year from diarrhoea.

Despite large freshwater resources, rainfall has declined in the last 30 years. With little water to drink or grow crops with, people’s health and wellbeing are severely affected.

We have been working in Zambia for 20 years. We work with local partners, such as smaller charities and educational institutions, to implement simple, low cost technologies that communities can easily maintain themselves.

We support local governments and build their capacity to improve access to essential water and sanitation facilities. We also work with communities to raise awareness of the importance of hygiene and toilets.

On the national scale, we help improve the coordination of projects so that they can be carried out most effectively. We work with the Zambian Government to reach the poorest and most marginalised people.

In Zambia last year we reached:

• 31,000 people with safe water
• 40,000 people with improved sanitation.

Watch this short film to find out more: