charity: water

About us

703 million people don't have access to safe and clean drinking water. This is massive, but it’s a problem we know how to fix!

At charity: water, we’re on a mission to do that transparently -  every penny donated goes straight to local partners to deliver sustainable clean water projects in areas of greatest need. We prove every project, using innovative technology and powerful storytelling to connect you with your impact.

With your help, we can solve the water crisis in our lifetime.

Since 2006, we’ve been working with generous people just like you and we’re getting closer every day.

To date, we’ve been able to fund 138, 000 water projects across 22 active countries, bringing clean water to nearly 17.5 million people.

Why water?

For people in developing countries, clean water can change everything.

703 million people living without access to clean water is nearly 1 in 10, or nearly ten times the population of the UK. The majority live in isolated rural areas and spend hours every day walking to collect water for their family. Not only does walking for water keep children out of school or take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the water often carries diseases that can make everyone sick.

Clean water changes everything

Health:

Diseases from dirty water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

43% of those deaths are children under five years old. Access to clean water and basic sanitation can save around 16,000 lives a week.

Time:

In Africa alone, women spend 40 billion hours a year walking for water.

Access to clean water gives communities more time to grow food, earn an income, and go to school - all of which fight poverty.

Education:

Clean water helps keep kids in school, especially girls.

Less time collecting water means more time in class. Clean water and proper toilets at school means teenage girls don’t have to stay at home for a week of every month.

Women's Empowerment:

Women are responsible for 72% of the water collected in Sub-Saharan Africa.

When a community gets water, women and girls get their lives back. They start businesses, improve their homes, and take charge of their own futures.

How do we tackle the water crisis?

We work with local experts and community members to find the best sustainable solution in each place where we work, whether it’s a well, a piped system, a BioSand Filter, or a system for harvesting rainwater. And with every water point we fund, our partners coordinate sanitation and hygiene training, and establish a local Water Committee to help keep water flowing for years to come.

Every £1 invested in clean water can yield a £4-12 in economic returns.

It’s a solid investment; access to clean water is perhaps the single most powerful tool for sparking economic growth that humanity has ever known.