The foundation for a healthy life
Clean drinking water is something many of us take for granted. But the fact is that almost one billion people worldwide lack access to safe water - and even more, are experiencing water shortages regularly. Clean freshwater is essential and the foundation for a healthy life.
Without water, there is no life, yet there are far too many people who face daily water shortages.
A problem for developing countries
Developing countries are experiencing diseases related to poor sanitation and polluted water. Contaminated water threatens public health and is the cause of 80% of diseases worldwide.
Waterborne diseases are the cause of a child dying every 90 seconds. In total, waterborne diseases have claimed more lives than HIV / AIDS, malaria, and measles combined.
Contaminated water and the diseases related to it, cause 443 million lost school days annually. Waterborne diseases are therefore one of the biggest causes of lack of education in developing countries. Children lose schooling and education due to illness, which in turn limits future learning potential, reduces academic achievement, and prevents one of the most important ways out of poverty.
A lack of clean water means a lack of opportunities
In developing countries, women walk on average 6 hours and 13 kilometers every single day, just to fetch polluted water that makes them sick. In total, we now see 3.4 million deaths each year as a result of waterborne diseases, making this the leading cause of death worldwide.
Time spent on suffering waterborne illnesses and retrieving contaminated water is lost time that could have been spent focusing on education and economic development. We take clean water for granted, but water shortages are the reality for far too many people. Whether it is due to physical scarcity, low accessibility, or lack of adequate infrastructure - water scarcity affects all continents, and half of the world's population lives with potential water scarcity and insecurity.
We provide clean water where people need it
To combat the global water crisis, Imdad is working in countries such as Bangladesh, Yemen, the Gambia, and Pakistan to increase access to clean and safe water.
In Bangladesh, we have provided Rohingya refugees and locals with clean water, which is especially important in densely populated areas. Our clean water installations, as well as deep wells in Bangladesh, help prevent diseases that would otherwise spread rapidly in refugee camps. We depend on clean water to survive - water is the source of life.
Yemen is also a country that desperately needs clean fresh water. We have placed water tanks in needy communities, which are checked and refilled daily to ensure safe and adequate water quality. In Gambia, we have implemented wells in isolated rural areas, as well as water infrastructure that collects the clean groundwater. This effort has prevented diseases from spreading and prevents indoor pollution that often occurs when residents boil water indoors.
Unsafe water is the cause of illness and death all over the world, but by focusing on the implementation of safe and functioning water infrastructures, we prevent the spread of disease and create safe living environments.
