Water, Hygiene, and Sanitation
Access to clean water, hygiene, and sanitation services is a basic human right. While significant strides have been made globally, there remains an urgent need to address the staggering reality that billions of people still lack access to this essential right. Let us take you to Uganda, one of the countries where the iHelp Foundation is dedicated to making a difference:
44% of Ugandans lack access to basic water services, meaning much of the population relies on unclean surface water, untreated water sources, or travels more than 30 minutes for clean water.
81% of Ugandans lack access to a safely managed drinking water service on their living premises.
82% of Ugandans lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
69% of Ugandans lack access to a handwashing facility with soap and water in their home.
Limited access to clean water, hygiene, and sanitation services has profound consequences on health and well-being. Unclean water sources expose communities to disease-causing microbes, resulting in widespread illnesses and preventable deaths. Inadequate sanitation facilities and insufficient hygiene practices and resources further amplify disease transmission and can worsen malnutrition.
This burden is not just a health issue; it is a crisis that disproportionately affects women and children. Countless hours are spent annually fetching water, diverting time away from crucial activities like attending school, caring for children, and earning income. The lack of access to menstrual hygiene resources also contributes to high rates of school absenteeism and dropouts among girls.
At the iHelp Foundation, our goal aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals—we aim to ensure that every community we work with has access to clean water, hygiene resources, and sanitation services.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
We construct borehole water wells to provide Ugandan communities access to clean water. We work hand-in-hand with community members before and after the construction process, empowering them to maintain boreholes and ensure a lasting solution.
We also equip Ugandan families with in-home water filters and provide education on water filter maintenance, hygiene, and sanitation for enduring impact.
Our volunteers and donors who help provide water develop lasting connections with the communities and families they help support.
1. Help Build a Well or Provide Water Filters
2. Assist in Providing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Education
Our service trips to Uganda, Guatemala, and Liberia include tailored education on clean water and general sanitation and hygiene. We also conduct culturally sensitive group menstruation education classes and provide menstrual hygiene products to women and girls. We adapt our teaching methods to address the specific needs of each community.
Participate in our service trips to help to provide water, sanitation, and hygiene education.
We distribute culturally appropriate hygiene kits in collaboration with communities, identifying the most needed and culturally suitable items through ongoing collaboration with our partners.
Groups can donate supplies and assemble general or menstrual hygiene kits for distribution in Uganda, Guatemala, and Liberia.
If you or your group are interested in this type of service project, please reach out to us for details on hygiene kit items.
3. Organize Hygiene Kit Service Projects
