The latest on our work and those supporting it
Human Rights Day Through the Lens of Water Access
Human Rights Day, celebrated on December 10, honors the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What role does water play in human rights?
A Hand Up, Not a Handout: Why Water Access Changes Everything
Imagine it’s morning. You go to brush your teeth, make coffee, or start a shower — but there’s no water. In our modern world, it’s an inconvenience, sure, but it’s solvable. If your tap runs dry, you have options: you can pick up bottled water from a store, head to a friend’s place, or even […]
When There Isn’t Enough Water to Stay Clean
Life without ready access to clean water is tough for many reasons. Without water, it becomes difficult for people to keep themselves and their environments clean. This, in turn, infects people with hygiene-related diseases and hurts people’s dignity and sense of self.
How Water Access Empowers Women and Girls: Women’s Equality Day
Why Water is Essential to Women’s Rights Today in the United States, it’s Women’s Equality Day, a day commemorating the day on which women in the United States gained the right to vote. While there are gender inequalities to address worldwide, one often-overlooked aspect of gender equality, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is a lack of […]
Zainab’s Story
For ten-year-old Zainab (Zy-nab), work starts as the sun comes up — and oftentimes, before.
Another Reason Fetching Water Risks People’s Lives: Dangerous Wildlife on the Way to the Water Point
In our mostly rural work areas, animals and wildlife can be a daily concern for those who must travel any distance to collect water.
International Women’s Day 2024: Don’t Leave Some Behind
Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. When I looked at the International Women’s Day website, I was struck by their missions: — https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ Of course, these are all admirable missions for women. But when I tried to relate all of these missions to the women we serve at The Water Project, it was difficult. […]
How Water Scarcity Breeds Violence
Where essential resources are scarce, the likelihood of violence of any type goes up. When people get desperate, they fight with others to secure enough resources for themselves and the ones they love. Constant strife, or even constant discomfort, is bound to make anyone irritable. This concept makes sense intuitively. But it’s still shocking to […]
Change Happens Once People Get Access to Water
Like rings that expand outwards from a drop of water in a pool, big changes start to happen once The Water Project installs a new protected water source in a community.
Gender in Water-Fetching Culture: Even Within Kenya, It’s Not Always the Same
In Western Kenya, it is the role of women, girls, and children to fetch water. Growing up as a young girl in Kenya, I saw only women and girls fetching water, and not men. We also rarely take the time to understand why fetching water is predominantly considered the “woman’s job” (or that of children). […]