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Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Increasing access to safe water and improve sanitation lead to healthier families and communities and strengthen their resilience

Why WASH?

In India, access to safe water, proper sanitation, and good hygiene remains a critical challenge, impacting millions of lives every day. The WASH crisis affects health, education, and dignity, especially among vulnerable populations.

The Reality in India:

  • Over 600 million people in India still face water shortages, with nearly 40% of the population depending on unsafe drinking water.
  • More than 70% of households lack access to proper sanitation facilities, leading to widespread open defecation.
  • Diarrhea kills over 1 lakh children under the age of 5 every year in India, a preventable tragedy linked to unsafe water and poor hygiene.
  • Girls in rural India miss 20% of school days annually due to a lack of menstrual hygiene management facilities.

Why WASH Matters:

  1. Improved Health: Safe water and sanitation can prevent diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid, reducing India’s healthcare burden significantly.
  2. Empowering Women and Girls: With access to clean water and sanitation, women and girls no longer spend hours fetching water or face humiliation due to the lack of toilets, enabling them to pursue education and livelihoods.
  3. Breaking the Poverty Cycle: Each rupee invested in WASH brings four times the return through improved productivity, reduced healthcare costs, and better education outcomes.

Every drop counts. Every effort matters. Together, we can build a future where every individual, especially in underserved areas of India, has access to clean water, safe sanitation, and the dignity they deserve.

Join us in making WASH a reality for all. Because clean water is not a luxury; it is a right.

What We Do?

At The We Foundation, we drive sustainable change through demand-driven construction of toilets with institution-based water, sanitation, and hygiene (CB-WASH) systems to ensure accountability and maintenance. We promote strong behavior change mechanisms, such as grassroots task forces and interpersonal communication, to maximize the impact of time, funds, and efforts. Our initiatives include waste management at the source, cleanliness drives at popular locations for sustained attention, and technology-based monitoring systems to enhance effectiveness. Additionally, we recognize and celebrate community groups and individuals leading these efforts, fostering a collective commitment to a healthier, cleaner future. 

Key Focus Areas

  1. Access to Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Rural Homes: Ensuring every household in rural areas has access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities for healthier living.
  2. Promoting Open Defecation-Free Communities: Encouraging toilet construction in homes and fostering behavioral change to eliminate open defecation.
  3. Water and Sanitation in Schools and ICDS Centers: Providing schools and Anganwadi centers with safe drinking water, functional toilets, and hygiene facilities to support education and child development.

Waste Management at the Source: Promoting effective management of organic and inorganic waste, reducing plastic use, and implementing sustainable recycling processes.

Our Interventions

Eco-Cleaning Efforts

We lead regular community cleaning campaigns to foster cleaner and healthier living environments…

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Healthy Hands Initiative

Our hand hygiene initiatives aim to reduce disease transmission by promoting effective handwashing…

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Waste Sorting Initiative

Promoting sustainable waste management at the source is one of our key interventions to reduce…

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Toilet Renovation Projects

To improve sanitation in educational institutions, we focus on renovating and maintaining toilets in government schools…

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Impact Stories

Community Cleaning Drives

We lead regular community cleaning campaigns to foster cleaner and healthier living environments. These drives engage residents, volunteers, and local authorities, creating a collaborative approach to cleanliness.

  • Waste Removal and Disposal: Focused efforts to collect and properly dispose of accumulated garbage in residential areas, public spaces, and marketplaces.
  • Awareness Generation: Educating communities about the importance of cleanliness and its impact on health and the environment.
  • Volunteer Mobilization: Encouraging community participation to ensure sustainable efforts and instill a sense of responsibility.
  • Beautification Projects: Post-cleaning beautification through tree planting, creating green spaces, or setting up waste bins to maintain cleanliness.
Hand Hygiene Awareness Programs

Our hand hygiene initiatives aim to reduce disease transmission by promoting effective handwashing practices. These programs target schools, households, and community centers.

  • Interactive Workshops: Conducting sessions on the importance of hand hygiene and demonstrating proper handwashing techniques using soap and water.
  • Key Timing Education: Highlighting critical moments for handwashing, such as before eating, after using the toilet, and after handling waste.
  • Material Distribution: Providing soap, handwashing charts, and educational leaflets to ensure accessibility and reinforce learning.
  • Behavior Change Campaigns: Using storytelling, visual aids, and role-playing activities to instill lifelong habits among children and adults.
Segregation of Organic and Inorganic Waste

Promoting sustainable waste management at the source is one of our key interventions to reduce environmental degradation and enhance recycling efforts.

  • Community Education Programs: Teaching households and businesses the importance of separating waste into organic and inorganic categories.
  • Composting Initiatives: Setting up composting pits and encouraging the use of organic waste for creating nutrient-rich compost for farming or gardening.
  • Plastic Reduction Awareness: Educating on the hazards of single-use plastics and promoting reusable and biodegradable alternatives.
  • Recycling Partnerships: Partnering with local recyclers to establish efficient systems for collecting and processing recyclable materials.
  • Monitoring Mechanisms: Implementing systems to track waste segregation practices and provide feedback to improve compliance.
Restructuring Toilets in Government Schools

To improve sanitation in educational institutions, we focus on renovating and maintaining toilets in government schools. This ensures safe and hygienic facilities for students, reducing health risks and increasing school attendance.

  • Renovation of Existing Infrastructure: Repairing broken fixtures, installing proper ventilation, and ensuring the availability of clean water and soap.
  • Gender-Sensitive Facilities: Constructing separate toilets for boys and girls to promote privacy and dignity, especially for adolescent girls.
  • Waste Management Systems: Installing disposal units for menstrual waste and ensuring regular cleaning and maintenance.
  • School Hygiene Committees: Establishing student-led committees to maintain cleanliness and promote hygiene awareness among peers.
  • Monitoring and Feedback: Collaborating with school authorities to monitor facility conditions and address maintenance needs promptly.