charity: water projects at schools like this one use clean water as a catalyst to improve the overall health of kids and the surrounding community. That means each school project includes a water source, but also hygiene training, a handwashing station and toilets for the students.

Girls in developing countries miss up to a week of class each month, or even drop out of school, when they hit puberty because they don’t have a private place to use the bathroom or wash at school. charity: water invests in separate latrines for girls and boys to ensure privacy and maintain dignity for students. Improved sanitation (toilets) alone can reduce the likelihood of waterborne diseases by 32%. And private latrines built at schools not only improve health; they have been shown to increase attendance, especially among girls (World Health Organization). Read why latrines are so important to Khadija from Bangladesh here.

SPECIAL UPDATE:
Before our partners broke ground on the water project here, they asked expert hydrogeologists to determine how much water was beneath the earth’s surface. They reported that a drilled well would not provide enough water to this school.

Our partners are working now to find a better water technology for this school. In the meantime, they finished other components of the project; most importantly, separate toilets for boys and girls and handwashing stations. Thanks to you, these students now have a private and safe place to wash and use the bathroom.

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