Spotlight on our work – Kumudimoolai, India

450 more people now with ecosan, thanks to support from the ACT Foundation Thanks to support from the ACT Foundation, the people of Kumudimmolai now have 90 more ecosan, clean water and livelihoods. Tamil Nadu in the south of India is considered to be one of the wealthiest states in the country, but behind the statistics of economic growth and development lies another story – one of acute poverty. The rural population of Tamil Nadu ranks among the poorest in the world, with an estimated 12 million people living on or below the poverty line. Kumudimoolai is a rural village in Tamil Nadu, 30 miles south of the bustling city of Cuddalore. The 1,973 people living here belong to one the poorest and most excluded social groups in India, and when we first visited the community, poverty was rife. There were no working toilets in the village, which meant people were forced to find somewhere to go out in the open, which was spreading illness and disease. On top of this, the area is prone to flooding, and is always water logged. Human waste and in-organic fertilisers had contaminated the ground and water supply, making it hazardous to drink. Maintaining work was also ...

Stories from the field – living with dirty water

Jane Bond is volunteer Project Officer for Wherever the Need India. She has been living and volunteering in India since November 2011, based in Tamil Nadu since February 2013. Read her stories from the field...   Yesterday it rained heavily and unexpectedly in Tamil Nadu. For some areas it was the first rain in over a year, so I’m going to talk about the realities of living with India’s water supply. You’d think the rain would be a good thing, but it came at the wrong time and many farmers had seedlings damaged. Water here is a health risk we are lucky enough not to be familiar with in the west. When I first came to live in India water became a mild obsession as I adjusted – every drop I needed had to be pumped and was available only at certain times. For cooking and drinking my water had to be filtered and sometimes boiled - all of this took a lot of planning and time. At the time I lived in Calcutta which has terrible sanitation and water issues. Despite my care I was sick with water related illness regularly – sometimes as often as once a month. I ...

UK Government Recognises Sanitation as Human Right

The World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund in their 2012 Joint Monitoring Programme report estimated that over 1/3 of the world's population do not have access to adequate sanitation.  The WHO also estimates that 1.4 million children are dying from diarrhoeal disease every year, the vast majority of which is due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene;  yet access to sanitation is one of the most off-target Millennium Development Goals. Following a review of international law, under the remit of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the UK government has formally recognised access to Sanitation as a human right under international law.  In accordance with this, the Secretary of State for International Development (Andrew Michell) has committed to doubling the UK's ambitions on water, sanitation and hygiene to reach at least 60 million people by 2015. Hopefully this commitment by the UK government will mean that many of these deaths, which are mostly preventable with innovational projects such as WTN's Ecosan initiatives, can be avoided.  If you, like the UK government, feel that sanitation is not getting the recognition the issue merits, please begin supporting us today, by signing up to follow us online (Facebook, ...

Emergency Cyclone Appeal

India Cyclone - Emergency Appeal You may have heard on the news about the cyclone that recently devastated south-east India. Tamil Nadu, the region in which many of Wherever the Need's projects are based, has been badly hit - the cyclone has devastated the lives of the people and communities with whom we work so closely. Infrastructure, services and facilities are severely impaired and damaged; towns and villages are without electricity and clean water; many people have been left homeless. Water supplies are polluted and there is a genuine concern that there will be an outbreak of diseases such as diarrhoea or cholera We want to use our expertise and knowledge of the region to get sanitation and water facilities to where they are most needed and we need your help. Please donate now. Please donate... Yes No Are you a UK taxpayer and can we claim gift aid? Would you like to receive our occasional newsletter?

A message from India

Following a recent visit to some of our projects in India, Hardeep Sandher writes of her experiences during her time there. Read the full Property Week article here (PDF 2.1mb) <strong>or click to enlarge:</strong>

2011 Summer Newsletter

Read our Summer Newsletter for a run-down on our recent work in India. Click the newsletter to enlarge Read the full newsletter here (PDF 1.4mb)

Private sector has potential to aid development, but beware the pitfalls

The Department for International Development (DFiD) wants to focus on the private sector but it must look closely at the risks. The private sector is not accountable to the public in the way the public sector is. Sanitation and water systems are often not available for the poorest people – and private developers cannot be held legally accountable for not offering them. The UK's Department for International Development awarded Vodafone funding to set up a mobile banking project in Kenya in 2003. DfID is keen to get the private sector involved in development projects. Read whole article Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Donor aversion to ‘unsexy’ water projects threatens development goal

"More than 1 billion people will not get the basic sanitation and the clean water promised as such projects shrink sharply as a proportion of global aid budgets. A key development goal to halve the number of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015 will be missed by a long way because donor countries have diverted aid money away from "unsexy" water projects, according to the World Bank and a report from the charity WaterAid. Financial aid to provide people in developing countries with access to clean water and decent sanitation has been shrinking sharply as a proportion of global aid budgets, the new research has shown, with the result that more than 1 billion people will not get the assistance they were promised by rich countries under the millennium development goals. The key development goal on sanitation is likely to be missed by a wide margin, as donors restrict their aid to "sexier" projects such as schools and hospitals – even though the benefits of those projects are much diminished if their recipients have no clean water or toilets. "When you think that 2% of GDP is the difference between growth and recession, we are having the equivalent of three recessions every ...

Fiona Bruce narrates our new film

Well known BBC newsreader and presenter Fiona Bruce is the voice-over for our latest film, "Independence, not Dependence". The video gives an introduction to who we are, what we do and why we do it. We believe in creating the conditions to allow people to become empowered and independent in their way out of poverty, not becoming dependent upon foreign aid. Find out more by watching the film below.

A film of our work in Sierra Leone

During a visit to our Sierra Leone projects this month, our CEO David Crosweller was asked to film a few short clips explaining our project work there. This short video is the outcome!

A new project in Sierra Leone

Shengay is a remote forest village, and has no sanitation facilities, so the villagers are using the neighbouring fields, with obvious risks to their health and security. There is also no well in the village, so all water is being drawn from a nearby stream – so intestinal illness is common, with young children being particularly vulnerable. We are constructing a community eco-sanitation toilet unit, with a central washing area, with separate areas for both female and male. This will provide effective sanitation facilities for all people in the village, greatly improving their health and security. Compost from the facility will also improve yields in the village market gardens. A borehole has been drilled, with the pump and capping to complete – this will provide clean drinking water for the whole village. See more details of our latest project here: http://wherevertheneed.org.uk/projects/sierra-leone-projects/shengay/

A film for World Water Day…

Water ink _ BDDP Unlimited and Solidarités International - UK from BDDP Unlimited on Vimeo.

The world walks for World Water Day

You can raise awareness of sanitation and water issues... The World Walks for Water is a global event from 19-22 March 2011, that aims to raise awareness of the world’s current water and sanitation crisis, and critically, demand strong government action to stop the needless deaths of 4000 children every day. Millions of people walk 6 kilometres every day just to collect water for their basic needs. Billions have no safe place to go to the toilet. Lack of water and sanitation traps people in a vicious circle of disease, lost life chances and poverty. On World Water Day 2011 thousands of people across the globe will walk together for 6 kilometres to demand an end to this crisis. The walks will build on the success of the World’s Longest Toilet Queue in 2010, and demand that politicians in the North and the South keep their promises and step up their efforts to ensure water and sanitation for all people, everywhere. We need YOU to get involved, too. Now is the time to tell the world’s politicians about our concern. Now is the time the World Walks for Water. Visit the website to find out more & take part: http://www.worldwalksforwater.org/eng

Interactive data shows water security to be high risk

Unsurprisingly, water security features highly on the 2011 Global Risks report. Their interactive graphs make it interesting and easy to look through and understand the data - it's well worth at least a brief glance at: http://riskreport.weforum.org/#/0/1 "The World Economic Forum's Global Risks reports chart a range of global risks arising from the new reality of interconnected challenges, interdependent stakeholders and an accelerating speed of change."

Not the bog standard design…

Some innovative lavatory designs reduce water consumption... "“Bog standard” – the phrase says everything about how we regard the humble lavatory. It is not glamorous, nor – even though it has barely changed since the water closet of our Victorian forebears – is it regarded as a design classic. But if we are happy enough with its functionality, and too embarrassed by our bodily functions to examine the matter more thoroughly, there is a problem with its performance: most of our lavatories use too much water. Although modern models have improved on the 13 litres a Victorian relic might require for a single flush, the issue remains. As sources of fresh water are increasingly stretched the world over by the pressures of climate change, growing population and pollution, finding more water-efficient designs has become a pressing matter... ..." Read the full article here: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d1e361f6-1e9c-11e0-a1d1-00144feab49a.html#axzz1BE2pltD3

The US takes notice

US senators speak up in support of access to clean water and sanitation for all. It's encouraging to hear respected members of the US government make very clear statements about the importance of clean water and sanitation in the world, such as 2 minutes 50 into the film: "If there’s one thing that we have learnt over the last 5 to 10 years it’s that clean water, if put into a community, ultimately leads to a degree of economic stability; a degree of hope; a degree of productivity that you otherwise would not have" (Senator William Frist)

So much still to be done…

World Toilet Day, November 19th

November 19th is World Toilet Day. Join the Big Squat! A day to celebrate the importance of sanitation and raise awareness for the 2.6 billion people (nearly half of the world's population) who don't have access to toilets and proper sanitation. Where there are no toilets: 2.6 billion people worldwide are without access to proper sanitation, which risks their health, strips their dignity, and kills 1.8 million people, mostly children, a year. Diarrhoeal diseases kill five times as many children in the developing world as HIV/AIDS. That's 5,000 children DYING EVERY SINGLE DAY. Not only that, but the disease kills more children than either malaria or AIDS, stunts growth, and forces millions - adults and children alike - to spend weeks at a time off work or school, which hits both a country's economy and its citizens' chances of a better future. The majority of the illness in the world is caused by faecal matter. Lack of sanitation is the world's biggest cause of infection. One gram of faeces can contain 10 million viruses, one million bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 100 parasite eggs. Safe disposal of children's faeces leads to a reduction of nearly 40% in childhood diarrhoea. Wherever the ...

Haiti: hygiene promotion is key

Haiti: hygiene promotion is key to preventing nationwide cholera epidemic, says Save the Children as death toll passes 900 As the death toll from Haiti’s cholera epidemic reached 917 on 12 November 2010, Save the Children says the best way to reduce the disease’s spread is to arm people with information and supplies to improve hygienic practices. Cholera has reached the capital Port-au-Prince, where 27 deaths have been recorded and over 1.3 million earthquake survivors living in tent camps are at risk. Throughout the country 14,600 cholera victims have been hospitalised. The United Nations forecasts up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera as the outbreak extends across the country of nearly 10 million, and says $163.9 million in aid is needed over the next year to combat the epidemic. In Gaston Margron, a camp where Save the Children works, the first suspected case of cholera has been identified. With a large number of deaths happening in the community, Save the Children fears that people may not be able to access health facilities when illness strikes. Also of concern is that people may not recognize the importance of seeking heath care immediately when they have any signs of symptoms – namely, acute watery diarrhea. Nick Ireland, ...

One success leads to another in Sierra Leone

Providing sanitation, water and livelihoods to 11,000 people in Sierra Leone. The success of our work in Gbongay has secured us funding for a further 19 villages in the Pejeh Chiefdom, allowing us to help forever change the lives of thousands... In the early part of 2006, we were approached by the village community of Gbongay in south-eastern Sierra Leone asking for help in the provision of water and livelihoods. When we assessed the village we discovered an area ravaged by the eleven year civil war (which ended in 2002), exploited by outsiders and politicians alike, and with a minimal level of infrastructure. From an initial survey and village meetings, we discovered that in a community of 750 people, on average one child under the age of five died every six weeks because of non-existent sanitation and polluted water. Since we introduced new ecosan and wells in Gbongay, not one child has died from intestinal illness. From this success, we have been able to secure funding to expand the project throughout Pejeh Chiefdom. By the time the works are completed ...

Kenya project photos

The first photos for our project in Narok South, Kenya are ready for all to see. This is an exciting project 140 kilometres west of Nairobi in which we are helping the community with ecosan toilets, a large rainwater reservoir, a small livelihood opportunity and a tree nursery. These facilities will work in tandem with the pastoralist nature of the local population. See the photos and project details here: http://wherevertheneed.org.uk/projects/kenya-projects/narok-south/

Water map shows billions at risk

About 80% of the world's population lives in areas where the fresh water supply is not secure, according to a new global analysis. Researchers compiled a composite index of "water threats" that includes issues such as scarcity and pollution. The most severe threat category encompasses 3.4 billion people. Writing in the journal Nature, they say that in western countries, conserving water for people through reservoirs and dams works for people, but not nature. They urge developing countries not to follow the same path. Read the rest of the BBC news story and see the map here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11435522

The urban disaster

For the first time in the history of mankind, more people live in an urban environment than a rural one and in just 20 years, over 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities and towns. This Red Cross World Disasters Report 2010 focuses on urban risks around the world: Chapter 5 - urban risk to health (PDF 421kb) Find the full report here: www.ifrc.org/publicat/wdr2010/summaries.asp

The World’s Toilet Crisis

Vanguard correspondent Adam Yamaguchi travels to India, Singapore and Indonesia to understand why people don't use toilets and what's being done to end the practice of open defecation. When human waste isn't contained or flushed down the toilet, it's everywhere - in streets, open fields and, most dangerously, in the very water people drink. Adam investigates how countries are trying to solve an epidemic that few people want to talk about - the world's toilet crisis:

UN declares sanitation and water a human right

After more than 15 years of debate on the issue, the UN has passed a resolution declaring "the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights". The 192-member Assembly also called on UN Member States and international organisations to offer funding, technology and other resources to help poorer countries scale up their efforts to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all. Read the full resolution text here: http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/64/L.63/Rev.1

Six reasons we use ecosan

There is a reason we chose to use ecosan in all our projects. In fact there are six reasons, and we would like to share these with you... A long-term sustainable ecosan system will: ensure water sources are not polluted by open defecation (even if pollution could occur through flooding); provide long-term facilities to eradicate generation-old open defecation practices; lead to better health and hence – reduce child mortality, reduce the need to purchase medication, reduce a country’s healthcare burden, give an individual greater ability to find and keep a job, help children attend school – in the case of post-pubescent girls, in-school sanitation may mean they actually attend school, introduce and maintain better hygiene practices. give the opportunity to provide a second, much needed income; give a high quality fertiliser/compost that can increase crop yields, reduce pesticide and water usage, ease food stress and reduce chemical fertiliser imports; provide donors with evidence that money is being used effectively, sustainably and wisely.