Focus on Water
One in 10 people lack access to clean water. Water is essential for drinking, sanitation and hygiene, and food production. Some areas in the world rely entirely on water for their livelihoods.
Women and young girls are disproportionately affected by the water crisis as they often carry the burden of collecting water for their families. This leaves little time for them to prioritize work and education, further forcing them into the cycle of poverty. To add, nearly 1 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene related diseases. Children are the most susceptible, affecting their ability to go to school.
Safe water can mean the difference between life and death. At Islamic Relief, our vision is a world free of poverty, and access to clean water is a stepping-stone in achieving it.
Islamic Relief’s Dedication to Water Programs
Islamic Relief’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs aim to rebuild community infrastructure through interventions like solar-powered water resources and raising awareness on best practices regarding sanitation and hygiene. Around the world, we’re helping vulnerable communities build better lives for themselves and for generations to come.
A few of our interventions include:
- Building and/or improving water wells to bring access to clean water to families across Ghana
- Increasing access to safe drinking water and trainings on best practices regarding hygiene that will in turn reduce the risk of waterborne diseases in South Africa
- Improving WASH infrastructure including sustainable water sources for drinking and agricultural practices in the states of Western Bahr El Ghazal, Warrap, and Central Equatoria in South Sudan
- Improving WASH status of internally displaced people and returnees through the rehabilitation and construction of hand pumps, hand-washing facilities, and sanitation facilities as well as the distribution of gender-sensitive hygiene kits for young girls in the states of Blue Nile, Greater Kordofan, and Darfur in Sudan
