The Challenge

Access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation is an essential requirement to living
healthy and productive lives. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), "2.6 billion people - half the developing world - lack
even a simple 'improved' latrine. One person in six - more than 1 billion of our fellow human beings
- has little choice but to use potentially harmful sources of water." This unfortunate reality claims
the lives of more than 3,900 children under five, every day. Countless others, including older
children and adults, suffer from poor health, diminished productivity and missed opportunities for
education. Contaminated water and poor sanitation trigger over 75% of all diseases around the
world.

And yet, it is within our power individually and collectively to do something about this disaster.
With well-directed efforts coordinated with people living within the host communities, we can
have a visible impact on the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves. In some cases the
solution poses an engineering challenge, in others it may be a financial challenge - but each and
every situation can be resolved - one community, one village, and one household at a time.