131 million people don't have clean water.
131 million people don't have clean water.
That's almost 10% of the population.
396 million people don't have a decent toilet.
396 million people don't have a decent toilet.
Almost one in every three people.
More than 33,000 children under the age of five die each year from diarrhoea.
More than 33,000 children under the age of five die each year from diarrhoea.
Caused by dirty water and poor toilets.
Together, we can make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene a normal part of everyday life for everyone in India.
What does WaterAid do in India?
We give people the knowledge and confidence to demand their rights. We support the Government to integrate water, toilets and hygiene into health, nutrition and disaster strategies, building systems that last.
And we make sure services meet the specific needs of women, children and disabled people so that no one is left behind.
A sanitation superhero
Chanda is a caretaker for her community’s toilet block in Delhi. It’s her job to make sure the toilets are clean and working and to help her neighbours use them properly.
People in Chanda’s district used to have no decent toilets, forcing them to go outside, sometimes far from home. This put the community at risk of disease, and women and girls at risk of harassment.
“There are many changes,” Chanda told us. “The biggest change is that the girls, our daughters, don’t have to go far away. When they used to go far away, people in their cars would stop and stare, and sometimes call or approach them.”
Chanda is also part of a community group that gets together and talks to neighbours about safe sanitation and good hygiene.
She takes immense pride in her work: “I look after the public now. I like it a lot and I will continue to do this until I have my last breath.”
Across the Tracks
After Nisha narrowly escaped an attack while trying to find a private place to go to the toilet, her mother, Radha, decided to take action. Our film Across the Tracks follows their remarkable story of change.
