22 million people don't have clean water.
22 million people don't have clean water.
Many live in hard-to-reach areas.
79 million people don't have a decent toilet.
79 million people don't have a decent toilet.
That's more than 2 in every 5 people.
Nearly 19,500 children under 5 die each year from diarrhoea.
Nearly 19,500 children under 5 die each year from diarrhoea.
Caused by dirty water and poor toilets.
What does WaterAid do in Pakistan?
We are making water, toilets and hygiene a normal part of daily life, by supporting local communities with the tools they need to claim their rights to basic services.
We are helping the Government, our local partners, and service providers build facilities that will withstand disasters, so improvements will last whatever the future holds.
We are showing communities the important links between health and good hygiene practices such as handwashing, and encouraging them to build and use proper toilets. And we are working with schools and the media to spread these messages as widely as possible.
Together we can challenge conventional thinking, inspire action and build the momentum needed to change lives for good.
Tackling shame in schools
As a member of her school WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) club, 13-year-old Ramsha learns about what periods are and how to safely manage them.
Periods are nothing to be afraid of or embarrassed about. But in Pakistan, cultural and religious taboos and myths turn menstruation into something secret and negative. Ramsha and her fellow pupils used to feel too shy to ask even their friends, teachers or relatives about them.
Ramsha used to use cloths and, following her mother’s advice, avoided bathing during her period. “We are so secretive about periods, I was reluctant to ask anyone about it,” she said.
Without knowledge of how to safely manage their periods, or access to sanitary materials and decent toilets to change them in, girls could not keep clean. They would often stay home to avoid discomfort or being teased for showing a blood stain.
To solve a problem, you need to be able to talk about it. And in the WASH club, you can.
Cameras in the classroom
Water scarcity and climate change make going to school tougher than it should be for children in the Indus Delta. We helped students in the province of Thatta tell their own personal water stories through photography.
