Today we celebrate World Water Day. On this day, we focus on the importance of access to clean water, and advocate for the sustainable management of clean water resources. Did you know that water scarcity affects more than 40% of the world’s population? Unfortunately, that number is expected to rise in the coming years. About 1 in 10 people do not have access to sanitary, safe drinking water (Source: UN Water). Water stress and scarcity affects countries on each continent, which not only affects people, but also hinders the sustainability of natural resources and development economically and socially.
Today, we want to highlight wastewater — the liquid waste discharge often contaminated from the mixing of wastewater from different sources. According to the UN, over 80% of wastewater, which results from human activities, is discharged into nearby rivers or seas without treatment. This causes major pollution issues. Additionally, more than 1.8 billion people use drinking water that has been contaminated by feces. This puts the world’s most vulnerable at a major risk of contracting cholera, typhoid or polio.
Rise Against Hunger supports access to clean water by distributing water treatment kits to those in need. In 2016, we distributed 1,244 water filters to recipients in seven countries. We work diligently with our partner organizations to provide Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) training to improve health and life expectancy around the world.

We want to provide the basic right of clean water for the billions of vulnerable individuals who lack access around the world. By providing access to clean water, individuals are able to free their time to earn wages or attend school. We believe that providing sustainable water resources is a key component in breaking the cycle of poverty. Additionally, one of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Rise Against Hunger works to help the UN achieve this goal of providing access to clean water to all by the end of 2030. Providing communities with access to clean water is #HowWeRise.