1 in 3 health centers around the world lack the basics they need to keep patients safe and healthy.
Clean water can transform the health care that people are able to give and receive – and WaterAid is determined to help get every health center access to clean water within a generation. With your support, progress is being made, but there’s still much work to be done. Together, we can help put clean water into even more health centers.
This summer, you can help provide sustainable access to clean water in health centers like Talo, to bring life-saving benefits to mothers, newborn babies and other patients.
Talo Health Center
Learn more about Talo's incredible staff
The staff of Talo Health Center in rural Mali had no clean water or decent toilets. That meant they couldn’t wash their hands, their equipment or their treatment room without collecting water from the well 1,000 feet away. They used to rely on just under two gallons of dirty water per patient for all cleaning, drinking and washing needs. Staff couldn’t dispose of medical waste properly and they couldn’t keep the health center clean.
Together, we've changed that. Together, we've guaranteed a safer start to life for newborns and put hygiene at the heart of care. Together we'll bring clean water to even more health care centers around the world!
Now Talo Health Center counts on:
clean water, decent toilets handwashing stations and more.
The school in Talo has clean water, too
Now, students have access to clean water, decent toilets and a handwashing station.
Meet the people of Talo
Learn more about the staff and patients at Talo!
Madani, Martin and Salimata do everything possible for their patients.
Madani has been the pharmacist since the center opened. He also runs the vaccination program for babies and children.
Martin, doctor and director, treats all of his patients with heart and determination.
Salimata, head nurse for eight years, is responsible for all births as well as pre- and post-natal consultations at the center.
Madani Coulibaly, Pharmacist
“Now that we have water, work is easy! Having water with us, it’s a great thing. It’s like we had an extra weight on our heads, and someone has come to help us get rid of this heavy load, and free us from our suffering.”
Dr. Martin Koné, Health Director
“Now, with both potable water and the best conditions for hygiene and sanitation, we can avoid patients going home with a contagious disease or an infection after coming here to be treated. This serves the community even more.”
Salimata Dagnogo, head nurse at Talo Health Center
"I really feel a lot better now. When I work, I do not fear infections, because we have potable water and soap to wash our hands properly and clean our materials and spaces."
Drissa, Superstar Patient
Dr. Martin spent months treating Drissa’s wounds (most likely caused by poor hygiene) with salt solution, at great expense to his parents, because there was no clean water in Talo. Today, Drissa is doing well thanks to the great work of Martin, Salimata and Madani.
Our work in Mali
We work with communities in Mali to bring clean water to the people that need it most.
Last year in Mali we reached:
35,512 people with access to clean water
35,512 people with access to clean water
34,117 people with decent toilets
34,117 people with decent toilets
62,876 people with hygiene education
62,876 people with hygiene education
Water and health care facilities
In Mali, we ran a three-year program to integrate water, sanitation and hygiene into 23 health care facilities, reaching over 1.8 million people. We produced good hygiene guidelines with the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization. Other partners are now using these to improve another 450 facilities across the country.
Water and Women
We are supporting 11 women’s groups in Mali to build businesses related to water, sanitation and hygiene. In one group, we trained 30 women in business skills and provided micro loans for producing shea soap. The industry is improving their livelihoods, as well as the community’s hygiene. Check out the video below to learn more.
Water and Hygiene Practices
WaterAid also began a program with local artists in Mali to promote healthy hygiene behaviors. The artists, who are respected and influential locally, created community theatre to motivate over 10,000 people to adopt healthy habits.
Deliver Life:
Deliver Life: Reaching 130,000 mothers and their families with clean water in three years
Bringing a new life into the world should be a time of love and hope for mother and baby, wherever they happen to live. But, around the world, one in every 50 newborns will die in the first month.
WaterAid launched their biggest appeal ever: Deliver Life. Thanks to supporters like you, we reached mothers and their families across Ethiopia, Malawi and Rwanda, with clean water.
What did Deliver life accomplish?
A mother giving birth in a clean environment with her dignity protected. Health professionals empowered to carry out their work. Children staying in school. Here’s a glimpse at some life-changing stories from across Ethiopia, Malawi and Rwanda during our momentous Deliver Life project.