Asia
India: As diverse as some continents
Asia is an incredibly large landmass and has so much diversity that we can’t explain the entirety of it here. Likewise, India is diverse—in its people, climate, and geography. Almost one-sixth of the world’s population, or 1.1 billion people, live in India. Approximately 35% of the total population is illiterate and more than 25% live below the poverty line. People’s daily efforts often go toward meeting subsistence needs.
The level of health for residents of villages, in general, is far from good. Because of impure drinking water and lack of public sanitation, dysentery and typhoid are common diseases. Water For People has concentrated its efforts in one of India’s poorest regions, the state of West Bengal. The overall size and challenges of the area are sometimes overwhelming as is the potential for project failure.
But there is reason for hope. Positive gains are being made across some regions in this area. One area that must be acknowledged regarding solving the problem of project failure is the FLOW application. This online, open-source monitoring system allows a wide variety of people to input status on water points and sanitation, so that we can all see what works and what doesn't and improve things. Learn more about FLOW.
