While drilling a well can be easy, delivering water and sanitation solutions that are sustainable in the long haul is not and it involves working together with an extended network of partners - from those funding projects to the eventual beneficiaries of these systems.
We believe people in developing countries know best how to solve their own problems. That's why we forge partnerships with carefully-screened, indigenous partner organizations that understand, and are part of, the local culture.
Community ownership is at the heart of Water.org’s philosophy. Regardless of whether the project is funded entirely by a grant or involves WaterCredit (small loans for water and sanitation), community ownership is at the center. For a project to be truly successful, communities must be viewed and must view themselves as the owners of the project. That’s why Water.org engages communities at every stage and at every level – from project planning, building and financing, to ongoing project maintenance.
Good hygiene practices and access to sanitation facilities are critical to achieving sustainable improvements in community health. Clean water may be available in a household, but if hand-washing and other practices are not routinely followed, the promised health benefits will not materialize. Similarly, access to a latrine does not ensure that the latrine will be used or properly maintained.
Without a good understanding of the link between hygiene and disease, the health benefits of safe water and sanitation can be easily lost. Water.org holds intensive training and motivation seminars throughout the project on the link between good health and good hygiene.
And finally, Water.org works with local partners and internationally recognized research universities to monitor and track our sustainability and the long-term impact of our program interventions.
Please join us in our mission to solve the global water crisis in our lifetime.
