Nearly 2.5 billion people don't have even basic sanitation services. Inadequate water supply and poor hygiene are linked to more than 2 million deaths from diarrheal disease each year. Another 1 million people die each year from malaria. A popular teaching tool is a version of the board game Chutes and Ladders which rewards good hygiene behavior and penalizes bad. Improved access to clean water and sanitation not only saves lives, it greatly enhances the quality of those lives.
Healthy children are able to learn and play, and grow to be strong, productive adults.
Families with access to clean water can spend less time gathering water and more time on the endeavors they choose. In reducing one source of stress and anxiety, CARE has found that improving water and sanitation has a mental health benefit, as well. Improving infrastructure and access to clean water is a key component of this work, but alone, it will not solve every water-related problem. Looking at overall water usage helps people find ways to use the available resource for the maximum benefit. CARE believes the community should be setting the priorities from the beginning.