|
Unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene are leading causes of illness and death in the developing world.
Diarrhea and other water-borne illnesses thrive where people don’t have safe water, adequate sanitation facilities , or effective hand washing routines. Every year 2.6 million people die from diarrhea and other water related illnesses. One-quarter of all childhood deaths are caused by unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene.
These unhealthy conditions impose high costs on the poor , exacerbating poverty.
Poor households lose, on average, four hours every day searching for clean water or places to relieve themselves . That takes away time that could be spent at work or school . Over 10 percent of all illness in the developing world results from poor water, sanitation, and hygiene, leading to billions of days of lost work and missed school each year.
Poor women and girls suffer the greatest social consequences.
In many cultures, women and girls are responsible for traveling long distances to collect the family’s water . This leads to lost educational and income-generating opportunities . The absence of sanitation facilities at home put women at risk of attack in the open, while inadequate toilets at schools are a major deterrent to girls attendance , especially once they begin menstruating.
Providing access to basic services has long- term health and economic benefits for poor people in the developing world.
Ensuring reliable and affordable services can reduce illness and death from diarrhea and other water- borne illnesses, increase economic opportunities for households and communities, and improve school attendance, especially by girls.
Our goal is to help tens of millions of people in Central , South America and Latin- America benefit from safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.
|