Welcome to WaterAid

Water is essential for life Water is essential for life. 70% of the earth’s surface is water and without it there would be no life on the planet at all. Some people have lots of safe water to use, whereas others have very little. Can you think of all the things we use water for?

When we need water in the UK, we just turn on a tap and there it is! Try and keep count of how many times you turn on a tap today. Are you surprised at how many times you do so?

But in some of the countries where WaterAid works, there is no water nearby. This photo was taken in Mozambique and shows Catarina (right) with her granddaughters Lucrecia (11, centre) and Ruth (9, left) on their way back from collecting dirty water from a river. Millions of children around the world have to do this every day. If you lived in a country like Mozambique like Lucrecia and Ruth, it might take you at least two hours a day to collect water. What else do you think they might be able to do in two hours? Perhaps playing with friends or doing homework?

Carrying the heavy water containers on their heads can damage children’s necks and spines and affect them for the rest of their lives. How do you think it would feel to carry a bucket of water on your head? Now would be a good time to show our film – Water Walk

Even when there is water to collect, it is often very dirty Even when there is water to collect, it is often very dirty. Often, it comes from a pond or river. This is Azmera, who is 13 and lives in Ethiopia. She’s on her way to collect water for her family. Can you imagine drinking this water? How do you think it would effect you? Every single day almost 900 children die of diseases caused by drinking water like this (compare this figure to the population of your school). One in ten of the world's population do not have access to safe water and one in three of the world's population do not have access to a decent toilet. That’s a huge number!

Dirty water isn’t the only problem Dirty water isn’t the only problem. This is Ras ZeSilas School in Ethiopia, Africa. Until recently, these were the only toilets that the school had. The block on the left is for female students and the one on the right is for teachers. But these toilets served over 1,300 female students and 71 teachers. Do you think there enough toilets for the staff and the pupils? Do you think these toilets would be clean and safe to use?

WaterAid is a charity that works to transform these people’s lives WaterAid is a charity that works to transform these people’s lives. They raise funds to build wells and install taps in poor communities in Africa and Asia. The people are then able to start businesses, go to school and improve their health. It’s life changing work! 14 year old Tekalign is an eighth grade student at Ras ZeSilas Primary School, Ethiopia, where previously 2,500 pupils shared one tap. WaterAid has built 14 new taps to bring clean, safe water to the school and Tekalign wanted to share a few words with us -   “We have had no water to wash with when we leave the toilet, and that exposed us to eye infections and stomach diseases such as diarrhoea. Now all of that is going to be over. Now there are going to be 14 faucets, so everyone will have a chance to wash or drink. It will also mean we won’t go to class late.

WaterAid doesn’t just build wells and taps WaterAid doesn’t just build wells and taps. They also help people to build toilets! A new water supply can easily become polluted and unsafe if the community does not have somewhere clean and private to go to the loo. Imagine if your school had no toilets – would you want to come to school? Would your teachers? Poor sanitation leads to bad health. Bacteria, viruses and parasites found in human waste kill millions of people every year.  This is Chooka, outside a brand new toilet block we built at her school in Zambia.

WaterAid also teaches people about good hygiene WaterAid also teaches people about good hygiene. Simple things like washing your hands after going to the loo or before eating can make a big difference. In fact washing your hands with soap and water reduce the chances of getting diarrhoea by nearly half! The communities WaterAid work with help each other learn about good hygiene in lots of different ways. WaterAid trains people to become hygiene educators who visit people in their homes, arrange meetings or put on plays to spread hygiene messages. WaterAid also works in schools to teach children these messages. Children often listen and learn better than adults. They will also take what they have learnt home with them and teach their family and neighbours about the importance of good hygiene. The girls pictured are from India, and are using brand new taps to wash their hands.

WaterAid has teams in 35 countries worldwide.

Is it surprising that people feel so happy when WaterAid works in their community? It does not cost a great deal to make a big difference. Just £15 can help provide one person with access to safe water. But having safe water doesn’t just mean that they can stay healthy. It also gives means that children have time to go to school and parents have time to earn a living. Having water also means that communities can grow food to eat and to sell, giving them an income and making them healthier. Why not show our ‘World of water’ film, which gives an overview of WaterAid’s work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzRdJc-vPjM&index=1&list=PLc-oawSTlDS1PfrZZVSRDs4s1nPcVeaEM