Skip to content

Welcome to water for people

Water For People + Kristof C-19 Impact initiative

New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof has launched the C-19 Impact Initiative to highlight organizations like Water For People, who are fighting on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to encourage you to support this life-saving work. Read the article.

Now, more than ever, access to safe water, hygiene, and sanitation is essential to protecting human health, and we are grateful to be recognized for our work bringing sustainable water and sanitation systems to communities around the globe.

water for people vertical logo

A 2018 study of 130,000 healthcare clinics in low-and middle-income countries revealed

50%

don't have piped water

A 2018 study of 130,000 healthcare clinics in low-and middle-income countries revealed

39%

don't have soap

1 IN 6

healthcare facilities have no handwashing stations or sinks. This means nowhere for staff or patients to clean their hands.

3 BILLION

people lack basic handwashing facilities at home

FINAL Logo_On White

our response to COVID-19

Handwashing is a community's first defense against the COVID-19 virus. But, 50% of health clinics globally don't have piped water, and 39% don't have access to soap. That's where Water For People comes in. We construct water systems and ensure clinics, schools, and other public institutions have safe, reliable water to keep their communities safe.

Investing in Water For People Ensures Emergency Preparedness Now and in the Future

It costs Water For People approximately $10,000 to ensure access to safe, reliable water and to provide hygiene education for one health clinic. Included in this cost are things like pipes, taps, local labor to construct the systems, and the assurance of sustainability. In 2020, we have identified and are working to reach 273 health clinics and other public institutions in nine countries across Africa, Latin America, and India. Your investment helps ensure clinics and public facilities are better-equipped to contain the spread of COVID-19 in some of the world's most vulnerable communities.

Bolivia08_SanBenito_SacaSirca_20170907 (51 of 88)
Play Video

Everyone Deserves Water That Lasts Forever

Water For People believes in a world where everyone has safe water and sanitation that lasts forever. We believe in it so much, we've named our impact model Everyone Forever. 

Everyone means every family, health clinic, and school. Forever means water and sanitation systems are sustainable and will last for generations.  It sounds simple, but it’s actually a big shift in the status quo. In most water and sanitation work, the focus is on short-term wins – building a few wells or toilets without considering how they will keep serving people long into the future.

We used to operate that way, until we realized it wasn’t working. When pumps and toilets broke, no one could fix them. This left communities back where they started. So in 2011, we conceptualized the Everyone Forever model.  We partner with local governments, businesses, and individuals, providing the support they need to bring clean water and sanitation systems to their own communities. Then we ensure they have the resources they need to maintain those systems now and in the future. The local government provides the structure. The local shop owner provides the materials. The local entrepreneur makes repairs. And the local family gets clean water for a lifetime.

Learn more about Everyone Forever through the eyes of the people who help make it possible:

Highest possible Charity Navigator Rating

Water For People has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for 16 consecutive years. This distinction places our organization in the top 1% of all charities.

We’re proud that our commitment to transparency and responsibility has earned us this designation. We couldn’t do this work without the support of so many who believe in our mission and have joined us on this journey to bring water to Everyone Forever.

But wait...there's more!

Well, hello, New York Times reader. Of course we expected you to reach the bottom of our page - you love to read!

We invite you to keep on reading. Learn more about our work, meet our valued partners, or check out our progress. When you're done reading, please don't forget to join our email list and explore other ways to get involved. 

Thanks so much for taking time to get to know Water For People. 

EN