WaterAid: how clean water changes lives

Charlotte Forrest explains the links between maternal health and access to water and sanitation, and introduces the Deliver Life appeal, which is supported by the UK government.

We all want to make sure a baby has the best possible start in life. Mums and dads want their children to be born safe and healthy in a clean environment. Grandparents want to see younger generations prosper without the threat of infection and disease. Midwives and hospital staff simply want to be able to do the job that they trained for – to deliver life. But none of this is possible without safe water, toilets or good hygiene.

In the UK, we have clean water on tap and a safe place to go to the loo. Wherever you or a loved one gives birth, you know it will be clean and hygienic. But around the world, access to these basic human rights is limited and every minute, a mother loses a newborn baby from infection caused by a lack of safe/clean water and an unclean environment. Life doesn’t have to be this way.

WaterAid’s work is about changing lives, particularly those most affected by the lack of access to clean water, hygiene and toilets: pregnant women and their newborns. We want to reach 130,000 mums and their families around the world with clean, safe water. As part of our new strategy we are expanding our work into health centres – helping to bring clean water, improved hygiene and proper toilets to clinics around the world. This will enable midwives and doctors to do their work safely; helping to save more lives.

Through our global advocacy work we are also calling on global and national commitments to ensure that all healthcare facilities have clean running water and proper toilets; and that good hygiene is included in all relevant training.

We want to push national governments to ensure that water, sanitation and hygiene services are embedded as a plan for delivering life, so more newborn babies and their mothers survive and thrive.

Our ongoing work bringing taps, toilets and hygiene to communities also affects mums and their new babies: safe water close to home takes away the need for arduous walks for – often dirty – water when pregnant. It also means safe water close by for mothers and their new babies, and a cleaner environment at home.

This winter, WaterAid launched its biggest ever fundraising appeal, Deliver Life. From 10 November to 10 February, every £1 given by the UK public will be doubled by the UK government, so we can reach twice as many mums and their babies around the world. It means we can give them, their newborns and their families a brighter start and a better future – simply through clean, safe water, proper toilets and better hygiene.

Visit deliverlife.wateraid.org to donate now – and follow the story of Kimoboi hospital.

Charlotte Forrest, special projects manager, WaterAid