The Problem

Worldwide disease is one of the most important issues of our time. Every nation, and every person, has the obligation of addressing disease in an effort toward reducing the suffering of humanity. Water, sanitation and hygiene are all intimately related to the level of disease in developing countries, and thus must be given full attention in every broad charitable endeavor.

Diseases related to water include those due to micro-organisms and chemicals in drinking water. Other diseases are related to parasites that have at least part of their life cycle in water. Diseases such as malaria have water-related vectors. Certain pulmonary diseases are caused by bacteria in water droplets.

According to the United Nations World Health Organization, every year there are 1.6 million diarrheal deaths related to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene—the vast majority among children under 5. More than one billion people lack access to an improved water source.

The United Nations Millennium Declaration set forth the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene in the development of, and reduction of poverty in, developing nations. The United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development, followed up by many international meetings, set forth eight Millennium Development Goals.

Of particular importance is Millennium Development Goal 7, which sets forth as a target “…the reduction by half of the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.”

Water Charity pledges to have a significant impact on that target.