The Foundation of Good Health
You can have all the nutritious food in the world, but if your water is contaminated or your sanitation is poor, that food won’t do you much good. Diarrhea and waterborne diseases rob children of the nutrients they consume and are major contributors to malnutrition.
We’ve seen villages transform when they get access to clean water and proper sanitation. Children get sick less often. They absorb more nutrients from their food. Mothers spend less time caring for sick children and more time on productive activities.
What we do:
- Work with communities to improve access to safe, clean water sources
- Promote handwashing and hygiene practices that prevent disease
- Support construction and maintenance of proper sanitation facilities
- Train community hygiene promoters who educate their neighbors
- Link water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities with nutrition programs for maximum impact
In Kismayo, after we helped the community rehabilitate their water point and conducted hygiene education, clinic visits for child diarrhea dropped by more than half within six months. The health workers noticed something else too—children were gaining weight better because they were keeping more nutrients in their bodies.