Every home helps us tackle the water crisis

The water crisis is one of the strongest forces keeping families in stuck in a cycle of poverty.

Prior to moving into their new homes, only 14% of families in the Mexico communities we serve had access to consistent and clean water. They were part of the 785 million people currently impacted by the water crisis. Now, thanks to donors like you, every family we support has access to safe water and sanitation, allowing them to flourish for the long haul.

One in three people globally does not have access to safe drinking water. And nearly 2 billion people lack access to proper sanitation services.

Unclean water drastically leads to infectious diseases such as cholera. But it also robs the potential of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Due to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five. Contaminated water is forcing children into living to survive rather than living to chase their dreams.

Women and girls are often tasked with collecting water, stripping them of their opportunity to attend school and pursue a career.

The average woman in the developing world walks nearly four miles a day to collect water. These long walks make women more susceptible to injury, trafficking, and rising temperatures.

Climate change, pollution, and poor regulation are the leading contributors to water scarcity.

Altered weather patterns lead to floods and droughts that restrict and contaminate the water supply.

In Mexico, we’ve seen how earthquakes can destroy water purification plants and break pipelines, leading to floods of toxic waste. Often, rural communities are neglected in favor of cities that play a larger role in the water supply. Governments frequently disregard legislation aimed toward regulating access to clean water.

About 60% of groundwater being used in Mexico is tainted because of weak regulations and little to no enforcement.

The Clean Water Act in the U.S. made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters. But in Mexico, regulations allow more than double the amount of arsenic in their drinking water than the World Health Organization’s suggestion.

Since the leading contributors to the water crisis are man-made, the problem is solvable. Clean water for all will take teams committed to building differently — starting with homes.

Homes can help solve the water crisis.

One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. We believe homes can help reach this goal. Every home we support provides the basic needs of water and sanitation.

Direct access to water services helps families grow healthier, have more time, and restore dignity.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to prove the benefits of living in a clean environment. Safe water and sanitation empower parents to educate their children on cleanliness. Families are also able to cook and clean with confidence.

Women and girls spend about 200 million hours every day collecting water. When women can move out of homelessness with a source of safe water in their homes, they can have more time to go to school, pursue their dreams, and provide for their families.

When you help us build a home for a family in need, you also give families direct access to clean and safe water.

Families shouldn’t have to worry about what’s in their water. Women shouldn’t spend hours every day walking alone with 40-pound buckets of water that will make their children sick. We believe we can help solve the water crisis — one home at a time — and give families back the time it takes to flourish together.

Will you help us bring clean water to a family in need?

With an $800 donation, or one year of giving $66 per month, you can fund water and sanitation for a home for a family moving out of homelessness.

You can make your donation here.

If you’re passionate about fighting the global water crisis by building a communal well rather than a home, here are a few teams we’d recommend supporting:

Charity:water

Water.org

Water Aid