There is an urgent need for clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and communities around the world. Consider these facts:

• Every 15 seconds a child dies from lack of access to clean water.
• Women and children in many communities spend up to 60 percent of each day walking to collect water.
• 4,500 children die each day due to unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation.
• Without access to a latrine, many girls stop going to school once they reach puberty.

The relationship between water and health is significant. An estimated two million people die every year from diarrhea-related diseases. Children, especially those under the age of five, are most susceptible to the ultimate horrors of water-born diseases. Access to clean water and adequate sanitation substantially decreases the mortality rates among children.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene are of critical importance to a school community’s health and way of life. Due to lack of access to private sanitation facilities at schools, many children and teens (especially girls) cannot attend school. Girls and boys spend much of their days carrying water—sometimes walking miles from their homes to the source and back.

By providing a water source at a school and connecting the teaching staff to the project, teachers are encouraged to implement educational programs that teach hygiene and safe water usage to their students.

Schools tend to be located in central parts of communities. Established and reputable non-governmental organizations together with the local community plan and implement a WASH project providing water, sanitation, and hygiene to the school.

 

H2O for Life:

• supports WASH (WAter, Sanitation, and Hygiene education) projects in needy schools around the world,
• is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization,
• provides global partnerships for schools in the U.S. to participate in service learning projects,
• gives students the opportunity to become educated about the global water crisis, and about a partner community in another part of the world,
• supports only projects planned and implemented by established non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local communities,
• has an excellent track-record of success—see our successful 2006-7 and 2007-8 partnerships here [link to list of 2006-7 and 2007-8 school partnerships]—and
• helps U.S. teachers and students make a difference one school at a time.

Non-governmental organizations implement WASH projects in-country and contribute 50% of the funds needed for each project, matching and magnifying the good from every school contribution.

The mission of H2O for Life is to provide funds to support projects in developing countries designed to make water available and sustainable for schools in need of fresh water, sanitation, and hygiene education—the “WASH” initiative. Through service learning projects, U.S. schools raise funds necessary to complete water projects, thereby bringing water to their partner schools. These funds are matched dollar for dollar, magnifying the good done with every contribution.

Another outcome, as important as water funding to our mission, is for youth in U.S. schools to learn about and become invested in the global community, and to become activists for positive change.

The sustainability of these and other service projects depends on the next generation’s involvement. We need to provide opportunities for students to make a difference, and H2O for Life exists to do just that.

Global projects are identified and facilitated through cooperating Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s). To date, Save the Children, Water Centric, Student Movement for Real Change, El Porvenir, and Catholic Relief Service have partnered with H20 for Life and match funds raised by individual schools.

United States schools select a project and then work during the school year to reach their fundraising goals. During the year, teachers and students may choose to communicate with students in the project community via letters or pictures.

If you’re a U.S. teacher, school administrator, or engaged parent and think students in your community might be able to help, learn how to Partner With a School.