HOPE International Development Agency is saving lives by providing the world's poorest families with access to sustainable sources of clean drinking water.

More than two million deaths occur annually from waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery the majority of which are children under the age of six.

Children living in the developing world are 520 times more likely to die from diarrheal diseases than children living in North America. Sadly, these deaths are preventable. Clean water from wells and capped water sources can prevent much of the suffering that results from the use of contaminated water.

The problems associated with contaminated water are made worse by a lack of adequate sanitation facilities. One third of the world’s population lacks access to basic sanitation facilities, and in the developing world there is insufficient knowledge regarding proper hygienic practices and the sanitary disposal of excrement. By improving hygiene and waste disposal practices, personal health can be dramatically improved.

There is more than enough water in our world for domestic, agricultural and industrial needs.

The pressing issue is not a lack of water, but the poor’s lack of access to clean water. The poor are often denied access to water due to a lack of economic resources, limited legal rights or by destructive public policies.

While potable water is important to all people, improved access to an uncontaminated water supply is particularly beneficial to women. In many developing nations, women are responsible for the collection of water for domestic use. Young girls are often taken out of school to help with this chore, which requires hours of walking to and from a water source many kilometres away. As a result, their education and the promise of a better life suffer greatly.

By providing access to uncontaminated water alongside health and sanitation education, HOPE encourages practices that positively affect family health.

Women are taught about family planning and other health and life strategies which empower women. Moreover, women with access to clean water are less likely to contract water-related illnesses and will spend less time caring for sick family members.

Every person deserves the opportunity to enjoy a life free from easily preventable diseases, and access to an uncontaminated water supply affords them this opportunity. Access to uncontaminated water acts a catalyst for both HOPE’s development work and HOPE’s goal of supporting people’s desire to be free from a life of chronic poverty.

Clean water is a cornerstone of all of HOPE’s overseas project activities. Where there is no water, HOPE helps people find water.

Where there is contaminated water, HOPE helps the people find ways to protect the water source and ensure the availability of clean water for years to come.

With clean water, communities can prosper. With access to clean water, the overall health of a population improves; farmers can better cultivate their land, children are more likely to attend school, and women spend more time on activities other than retrieving water. The culturally sensitive hygiene education that is offered ultimately helps in disease prevention and enhances the benefits of having access to potable water.

More than 1 billion people use unsafe sources of drinking water.

Basic sanitation facilities are beyond the reach of more than 2.6 billion people.

Preventable water-borne diseases claim the lives of more than 5 million people annually - most of whom are children.

Less than 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water - these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.

More than 50 percent of Africans suffer from water-related diseases such as cholera and infant diarrhea.