The Importance of Clean Water

“No matter who we are or where we come from, we’re all entitled to the basic human rights of clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy land to call home.” 

Martin Luther King, Jr.  

Humans rely on water more than any other singular resource besides the oxygen we breathe. And yet, one in three people in the world lacks access to clean drinking water, and one in two people lacks adequate water for safe sanitation.  

Feed the Children is working to change those numbers. Our water and sanitation programs in communities across El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, the Philippines, Tanzania and Uganda help provide families and children with this life-giving resource. 

“I thank almighty God for sending Feed the Children… because we can now drink clean water, and there are no more cases of stomach pain in my home.” Nighty Akongo – mother of 6, Uganda 

Many times, the problem facing these communities is twofold. First is the overall lack of enough water. Second is a lack of access. These rural communities often rely on government-drilled boreholes for water. This resource is sometimes public access, but oftentimes there is a usage fee that families may not be able to afford. Location is also an issue. The chore of gathering water typically falls on women and children, who may travel miles to get to clean water. This takes both their time and energy, removing them from participation in educational or economic activities that could benefit them long-term. 

“Water tanks and hand-washing stations have been a big help to us because now we don’t have to walk for a long distance in search of water. We can now focus more on our studies.” – Aisha, age 10, Tanzania 

We help with water in the United States, too. We partner with companies like Niagara Bottling, PepsiCo, Alani Nutrition, and others to supply clean drinking water when natural disasters or other emergencies strike.