Су және санитария жөніндегі халықаралық ұйым WaterAid

International NGO, focused on water, sanitation and hygiene

WaterAid is an international non governmental organization, focused on water, sanitation and hygiene. It was set up in 1981 as a response to the UN International Drinking Water decade (1981–1990). As of 2018, it was operating in 34 countries. The organisation was first established by the UK water industry on 21 July 1981 as a charitable trust at their main office premises in London and established its first projects in Zambia and Sri Lanka. In 2010, it became a Federation, comprising, as of 2018, members in the United Kingdom, USA, Australia, Japan, Sweden, Canada and India, and regional offices and country programmes in 27 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Activities involve providing people with clean water, safe sanitation, hygiene behaviour change and advocacy with governments and water utilities. Its income has moved from £1 million per annum in 1987 to £113 million in 2018–19.

WaterAid was founded in 1981 by members of the UK water industry at the Thirsty Third World conference held in London. WaterAid was formally established as a charity in the UK on 21 July 1981. King Charles III has been its president since 1991. Other members were established as follows: WaterAid America and Australia in 2004, Sweden in 2009. In 2010, the organisation became a federation and established the WaterAid International Secretariat. In 2014, WaterCan/EauVive, an NGO founded in Canada in 1987, became WaterAid Canada and joined the federation. In 1993 WaterAid began work on its 1000th project and also agreed to fund the Hitosa Gravity Scheme in Ethiopia. The Hitosa scheme was the largest single water supply scheme implemented in Ethiopia at the time, reaching 50,000 people. In 2003, WaterAid was named UK charity of the year at the Charity Times Awards. Also, in November 2006 WaterAid said that it was "Britain's most Admired Charity 2006", as voted by its peers in the voluntary sector (in Third Sector magazine). WaterAid came top of the category followed by Save the Children and The Samaritans. Andrew Cook, then WaterAid's Director of Communications and Fundraising said "We are delighted to have won this prestigious accolade. This award is a testament to the tireless work of all WaterAid's staff and volunteers both in the UK and internationally". WaterAid was also a Stockholm Water Prize laureate in 1995. In 2009, a new Global Strategy was launched, with the target of reaching 25 million more people across 30 countries by 2015. By 2011, WaterAid's 30th anniversary year, they had reached almost 16 million people with safe water and over 11 million with sanitation. In 2015, WaterAid launched 2015 2020 Global Strategy and its mission is to transform lives of the poorest people by improving access to sanitation, hygiene and safe water. In February 2022, WaterAid WaterAid launched its first legacy campaign, "What Jack gave," concentrating on will donations. Legacy income currently accounts for approximately 10% of WaterAid's total income.

WaterAid has been associated with the Glastonbury Festival since 1994. In 2006 the festival's founder Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily visited WaterAid's work in Mozambique and by 2007 130 WaterAid volunteers helped at the festival. In 2011, there were around 200 WaterAid volunteers present In 2016, by which time there were over 500 WaterAid volunteers at Glastonbury, the charity introduced Talking Toilets which gave out information voiced by celebrities such as Cerys Matthews and Brian Blessed. Among WaterAid's many fundraising events is 'Coast Along for WaterAid', a sponsored walk along sections of the South West Coast Path, which took place annually between 2005 and 2012. In 2010 the then UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown took part. In 2012, WaterAid partnered with Waterlogic to help raise funds for the poorest communities in the world, to provide them with clean and sanitary water. Waterlogic's Firewall technology purifies water and destroys harmful bacteria. Waterlogic pledged US$225,000 to WaterAid over 3 years. Fundraising events and initiatives in 2013 included The WaterAid200 Mountain Challenge as well as various running, cycling and other sporting challenges as well as Street fundraising. Its twice yearly magazine is called 'Oasis' and includes news and features on planned and completed projects. WaterAid is a founding member of the End Water Poverty campaign calling for water and sanitation for all. WaterAid America's office runs several fundraising campaigns, notably the COVID 19 Response and No Water on the Frontlines, an appeal for essential workers around the world. The organization also receives direct funding from a variety of corporations, non profit organizations, and academic institutions. Notable donors include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Boeing, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Google, Mercy Corps, New Venture Fund, PepsiCo, Pfizer, USAID, and the World Bank Group.

WaterAid works in partnership with local organisations in 34 countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and the Pacific region to help poor communities establish sustainable water supplies and toilets, close to home, and to promote safe hygiene practices. It also works to influence government water and sanitation policies to serve the interests of vulnerable people and to ensure water and sanitation are prioritised in poverty reduction plans. As a matter of policy, WaterAid supports public ownership and control of water supplies but does not take a particular view regarding public, community or private participation in service provision.

In collaboration with Unilever, the Hygiene and Behavior Change Coalition (HBCC) extended its efforts to combat the Omicron and other COVID 19 variants. It maintained a steadfast commitment to implementing hygiene behavior change initiatives and promoting confidence in the COVID 19 vaccine. During Phase 1 of the project, six countries, namely Ethiopia, Ghana, Nepal, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Zambia, were chosen to receive mass handwashing facilities and hygiene essentials, benefitting a total of 152 million people. In Phase 2, Nigeria was designated for its prior involvement in promoting hygiene behavior change concerning COVID 19, supported by the Heineken Africa Foundation.

WaterAid first started work in Zambia during the 1992 1994 drought. Since then, the organization has expanded its operations to seven districts in the country, five of which are in the Southern Province (Monze, Siavonga, Namwala, Itezhitezhi and Kazungula) while the other two are Kafue in Lusaka Province and Kaoma in Western Province. The organization spends about ZMK8 9 billion (just over £1 million) annually on projects there, and have since provided 42,600 people in Zambia with access to clean, safe water.

WaterAid is working with the government to help extend access to safe water, sanitation and improved hygiene for rural communities in Monze District. Sichiyanda is one such village in the Monze district where efforts are in progress. Projects in the village began in 2001 and the community worked together to dig a well with a dedicated bucket and windlass. Hygiene education is also taking place, where villagers are taught to keep areas clean by building dish racks and rubbish pits and ensuring that there are no stagnant pools of water where mosquitoes can breed. For women, much of this newly available time has been put to productive economic activities like basket weaving and pottery making for use and sale.

While most of WaterAid's projects have been subsidized, the Milenge Project stands out for being one that is self supplied. and 16 masons (4 per ward) have already been trained, having attended two separate one month courses at Mansa Trades Training Institute. Besides being trained technically, these masons are also trained to work together and on how to promote their services.

WaterAid encouraged local villagers to design and construct better latrines for themselves. This empowered people to be more involved and learn more about sanitation in the process. Furthermore, local participants could personalize it to fit their preferences and needs. WaterAid also introduced a programme called "Naming and Shaming", in which anyone caught defecating in the open would have their name taken down and made known to the whole community. Explaining why this works, Institute of Development Studies (University of Sussex) stated that it triggered people's pride and felt so strongly that they were highly motivated to change, i. e. building their toilets and stop open defecation. The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (Switzerland) stated that 49 out of 80 unions had attained 100% sanitation coverage.

WaterAid brought across the message of sanitation and hygienic defecation to the young by collaborating with a local music theatre performance troupe that performed various educational for children. However, WaterAid does face some difficulties: almost unable to seek support and donations from companies in Bangladesh to ensure a high hygienic level. Mr. Mohammed Sabur, the Director of WaterAid Bangladesh said that since labour was abundant, companies were not afraid of labour shortage should their employees fall sick. The only companies likely to support the programme were those with benefits in mind such as Unilever, who wanted to sell more soap.

WaterCan/EauVive was established as a registered Canadian charity in 1987 by Michael Lubbock to "help the world's poorest people gain access to clean drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene education". It works in 37 countries — like Bangladesh, Kenya, Nicaragua, and Uganda — by partnering with local organizations to assist the poorest and most marginalized communities. WaterAid Canada implemented sanitation projects benefiting 2.2 million people and safe water projects benefiting 1.7 million people by 2014. The charity also organized 4,000 education sessions focused on menstrual hygiene in Bangladesh. It receives funding through donations by individuals, organizations, and foundations and the Canadian International Development Agency. In 2013, it became a member of the global federation WaterAid, and was named WaterAid Canada in mid 2014.