Clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene are vital for living a dignified, healthy life.
Statistics can look stark.
1 in 5 people on the planet don't have a decent toilet of their own. 1 in 10 don't have clean water close to home.
But thanks to your incredible support, we’ve already reached millions of people in some of the toughest places in the world. We can’t stop there.
By working together, we can reach everyone, everywhere within a generation – and transform millions more lives for good.
703 million people don’t have clean water close to home.
703 million people don’t have clean water close to home.
WHO/UNICEF (2021) Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2020. Joint Monitoring Programme. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
1.5 billion people don't have a decent toilet of their own.
1.5 billion people don't have a decent toilet of their own.
WHO/UNICEF (2021) Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2020. Joint Monitoring Programme. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
Globally, almost of quarter of schools either have clean water that's only available sometimes, dirty water or no water all.
Globally, almost of quarter of schools either have clean water that's only available sometimes, dirty water or no water all.
WHO/UNICEF (2022) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools. Joint Monitoring Programme. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
Over 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Over 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Prüss-Ustün A, et al. (2019)
Every minute a newborn baby dies from infection caused by a lack of clean water and an unclean environment.
Every minute a newborn baby dies from infection caused by a lack of clean water and an unclean environment.
United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2019) Levels and trends in child mortality, 2020 Report. New York: UNICEF
Globally, 406 million children don't have a place to wash their hands with water at school.
Globally, 406 million children don't have a place to wash their hands with water at school.
WHO/UNICEF (2022) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools. Joint Monitoring Programme. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
Every $1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of $4 in increased productivity.
Every $1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of $4 in increased productivity.
(WHO, 2012)
If everyone, everywhere could wash their hands with soap and water, it would reduce infection in an epidemic like COVID-19 by 20%.
If everyone, everywhere could wash their hands with soap and water, it would reduce infection in an epidemic like COVID-19 by 20%.
WaterAid. (2021) Mission-critical: Invest in water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthy and green economic recovery
If everyone, everywhere had clean water, the number of diarrhoeal deaths would be cut by 34%.
If everyone, everywhere had clean water, the number of diarrhoeal deaths would be cut by 34%.
Prüss-Ustün et al. (2014) Burden of disease from inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene in low- and middle-income settings: a retrospective analysis of data from 145 co
Globally between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 we directly reached:
413,000 household members with clean water, 129,000 with decent toilets, and 1.8 million with good hygiene.
413,000 household members with clean water, 129,000 with decent toilets, and 1.8 million with good hygiene.
(WaterAid, 2023)
154,000 school students with clean water, 1 million with decent toilets, and 135,000 with good hygiene.
154,000 school students with clean water, 1 million with decent toilets, and 135,000 with good hygiene.
(WaterAid, 2023)
Through healthcare centres, 2.2 million people gained access to clean water, 1.6 million to decent toilets, and 1.9 million to good hygiene.
Through healthcare centres, 2.2 million people gained access to clean water, 1.6 million to decent toilets, and 1.9 million to good hygiene.
(WaterAid, 2023)
Numbers for households and schools = people who use these services every day. Numbers for healthcare facilities = the population each facility exists to serve, adjusted to reflect the scale of alternative / private provision.
People reached either through facilities or sustained promotion. Hygiene promotion numbers are estimates of people reached with hygiene promotion messages at least three times in a year through local marketing campaigns in communities, in schools and via local health services
The figures above refer to the people we directly reach through services delivered together with our partners. They only show part of our impact – to make lasting change happen on a massive scale, we also:
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convince governments to change laws;
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link policy makers with people on the ground;
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change attitudes and behaviours;
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pool knowledge and resources; and
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rally support from people and organisations around the world.
Through this work we benefit many more people than those shown above.