Together we can make a difference

Globally, 40% of people don't have access to even the most basic handwashing facilities at home. Over the last 37 years we've made huge progress to give more people access to good hygiene, but now we need your support to do more and do it faster.

It’s always been important, now it’s urgent.

That's why our teams around the world are working tirelessly to install handwashing facilities in areas where people need them most and to help governments to deliver hygiene awareness campaigns on an unprecedented scale. They’re doing difficult work in challenging circumstances, because the world has never needed their expertise as much as it does today. We’re immensely proud of them, and of the family of WaterAiders that makes their work possible – together, you’re saving lives.

Will you support our emergency response and help people who urgently need clean water and good hygiene?

• Putting in handwashing facilities in areas where people need them the most, making it easier for them to keep their hands clean and protect themselves and others.
• Running handwashing campaigns across the country where we work, making sure that everyone, wherever they live, knows how important it is to wash their hands with soap, when to do it and how to do it right.

School students washing their hands at the water storage tank with a capacity of 2500 litres connected to an RWH constructed by WaterAid India inside the complex of MPPS at Musalimadugu in Pengaragunta GP, Chittoor District, AP

Image: WaterAid India/Narayana Swamy Subbaraman

• Donations will help us urgently scaling up our programmes in response to COVID-19.
• We're running hygiene promotion campaigns in the country in areas where we work to make sure that everyone, wherever they live, knows how important it is to wash their hands with soap, when to do it and how to do it right.
• We're also making sure that handwashing facilities are available where lots of people need them – such as Schools, Anganwadis and Community Toilets
• And we're working with governments to encourage everyone to continue to play a part – for example, encouraging employers to make sure that their premises have handwashing facilities.

We are currently working in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. We would also be working in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Telangana. We have strong existing hygiene programmes in all of these states already and plan to continue working in these states.

In the developing world, the latest figures show that three-quarters of homes do not have basic hygiene facilities such as soap and water to wash their hands.

Over 40% of the population are without basic handwashing facilities in India