Well before the COVID-19 pandemic, one of humanity’s most serious threats was lack of access to clean, safe water. Now, with one in every nine people living without readily available safe water, the health and safety of families around the world is at even greater risk. More than a quarter of all people, over 2 billion, not only face diseases caused by unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation, but also the inability to simply wash their hands. COVID-19 has made clear the dire need for adequate WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) around the world.

For funders seeking to increase access to clean, safe water, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 is designed to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” and provides guidance for funders’ efforts. Strengthening WASH systems can seem daunting, but the payoffs are well worth the effort. As Brian Arbogast from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation emphasizes: “If you can provide a community with great sanitation, it’s like providing them with a super vaccine.”

In TPI’s newest publication about international philanthropy published in 2019 – The Thoughtful Funder’s Guide to Global Giving – we outline key approaches to increasing access to WASH that are proving all the more relevant and urgent in our changing world. As funders consider implementing one of the seven strategies below (and we know there are others!), there are important elements to keep in mind as you seek to have impact with funding in this field.

  • First, collaboration across sectors, involving government, private sector, and community actors, is key.
  • Second, it’s important to consider long-term infrastructure and maintenance.
  • Third, the most sustainable WASH solutions are those developed in partnership with the local community and the people most affected.

Read the full article about access to clean and safe water by Maggi Alexander at The Philanthropic Initiative.