WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. We are working towards a world where every child has an education, every mother has her dignity, every family an income and no one is sick or dying simply because they lack these basic human rights.

 

We at WaterAid believe that with the right political will, resources and drive this is possible. Yet today 4,000 children still die every day because they do not have safe water or sanitation.

 

WaterAid is an independent non governmental organisation focussed exclusively on improving poor people’s access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries.

 

We work in partnership with a wide range of organisations to deliver practical, sustainable programmes of work and to influence policy and practice to enable more people to gain access to these basic needs.

 

We also assist our partners to develop their organisational effectiveness and capacity. They in turn work with poor and marginalised communities so that they can operate and maintain safe and affordable water and sanitation services.

 

Over the last 27 years we have worked in over twenty developing countries in Africa and Asia in close partnership with civil society, governments and the private sector. We have developed our technical expertise alongside our understanding of community management and hygiene practices. Our work influencing others through research, campaigning and advocacy is now well established.

 

We reach one million people with water and one million with sanitation every year through our work with partners. Our influencing work reaches many millions more.

 

In the coming years we want to expand our work and transform the lives of more people living without access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation in more countries around the world.

 

To find out more visit: www.wateraid.org

 

How we work

WaterAid strives to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene solutions that are:

 

Appropriate

People living in poverty need effective, reliable water and sanitation services which meet their needs. We work in partnership with local organisations because they are best placed to meet these local needs. We assist them to develop their capacity and skills and work with them and poor communities to design and deliver appropriate, affordable and equitable solutions.

 

Transferable

Governments have a responsibility to ensure the provision of safe water and sanitation for their citizens. We use our practical experience, learning and evidence to demonstrate effective, appropriate and sustainable work.

 

Integrated

Safe, affordable domestic water, improved hygiene and effective sanitation are all needed to improve the health, livelihoods and opportunities for poor communities.

 

Sustainable

We strive for sustainability in all areas of our work. Issues of water depletion, contamination, appropriate technology, behaviour change, and knowledge and capacity for ongoing operation are all crucial in our programme work; as is our financial and capacity building support to partners.

Date Published: 29/04/09