Archive for category: Water Crisis

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Sudan Water Crisis and a Rapper’s Voice

Sudan Water CrisisSince April 15, 2023, an armed military conflict between Sudan’s two rival political-military forces, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has caused widespread infrastructure damage across the country. The conflict has particularly affected water systems, leaving many civilians reliant on unsafe surface water amid ongoing instability. Before the conflict, approximately 11 million people lacked access to basic water services and 26% of the water supply systems were not operational.

The limited water available to civilians is often surface water carrying diseases and bacteria, such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid and schistosomiasis. The use of bombs, rockets and other explosive weapons has damaged water treatment plants. It has affected both urban and rural areas, where populations of displaced individuals are extremely reliant on the few functional systems. An estimated 829,000 deaths per year are attributed to diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water, poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene.

The Water Crisis in Sudan

Sudan is unable to meet the basic needs of its people. UNICEF has confirmed that more than 17.3 million civilians cannot access clean water. The ongoing conflict between SAF and RSF has devastated all aspects of life, including infrastructure, health care, education and displaced millions, reinforcing both nationwide and household poverty.

In larger cities such as Omdurman, Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan, key destinations for the displaced, most water treatment plants have been damaged or rendered completely unusable. As a result, more than 40% of rural households have no access to clean water. This scarcity has deepened food insecurity, as 60–80% of Sudan’s population depends on agriculture for income.

Since the conflict began in 2023, the water crisis in Sudan has undermined agricultural productivity and reinforced both national and household poverty. Many Sudanese now rely on humanitarian organizations’ emergency water trucking and purification kits. However, International aid has been limited, with some foreign governments, including the U.S. and European states, reducing their aid.

A Rapper’s Voice

On October 24, 2023, Sudanese-American musician Abbas Hamad (Bas) released his song “Khartoum.” He used his public media platform in the music industry to bring awareness to the conflict and its effects on civilians. Through emotional imagery, he sought to spark awareness and empathy among audiences who may not be aware of the ongoing devastation in Sudan.

Artists like Bas help close the awareness gap through cultural activism, reminding us that lasting solutions to global poverty must ensure access to clean water and peace.

UN’s Sustainable Development Goals at Risk

With 2030 approaching, achieving the U.N.’s poverty goals depends on policy and persistent attention, wherever it may come from. If countries like Sudan continue to lack access to safe and clean water, the world will struggle to meet the targets of reducing global poverty and ensuring basic services for all.

This challenge is especially critical under the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals: SDGs 1 (No Poverty) and 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The shift from long-term development to emergency relief reinforces cycles of poverty. Without sustained investment in essential services like quality water, any effort to reduce global poverty is impossible.

Relief Efforts, Global Policy and Cultural Advocacy

The crisis highlights ongoing efforts to combat global poverty through immediate and long-term relief. Humanitarian organizations continue to provide emergency water, health services and food assistance in conflict zones. Similarly, global initiatives under the U.N. SDGs push for systemic change. At the same time, artists like Bas use their platforms to keep marginalized crises in the public eye.

These efforts reflect a diverse approach to addressing global poverty, combining funding, infrastructure, public awareness, cultural engagement and international cooperation.

– Zenub Khan

Zenub is based in Ontario, Canada and focuses on Global Health and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Access to Drinking Water in Nepal

Access to Drinking Water in NepalNepal, officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is facing challenges with access to clean drinking water. A recent survey found that while 95% of the population has access to basic drinking water, only 16% actively use a “safely managed” drinking water service. In addition, 51% of the population uses a safely managed sanitation service and 64% have a handwashing facility with both soap and water available at home.

Water Quality and Why It Still Affects Nepal

One of the main reasons for the lack of clean drinking water is that Nepal’s supplied water is often polluted. This is primarily caused by both the surface and groundwater deteriorating in the Kathmandu Valley, also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley. The surface water is polluted by both domestic and industrial waste, along with the discharge of untreated sewage. This is mainly due to the tightly packed residential neighborhoods. The domestic sewage is one of the top contaminants that makes its way into rivers and lakes, the primary sources of Nepal’s drinking water.

The Effects

Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu produces about 150 tons of waste daily and nearly half flows into rivers. This is one of the main reasons that many Nepalis are not able to obtain clean drinking water from available sources. In some of the more rural regions of Nepal, many communities still rely heavily on tube wells for drinking water. More recently, one of the main concerns in these regions is groundwater contamination from arsenic. The Terai Region contains dense layers of sand and gravel deposits interlocked with flood plains carried by rivers and is very prone to arsenic contamination.

The Nepal Water Initiative

Emphasizing the themes of community engagement, student involvement and interdisciplinarity, the Nepal Water Initiative brings together the distinct perspectives of both marine and conservation science with those of religious studies, economics and anthropology, with the hopes of providing the people of Nepal with safe, accessible drinking water. A fundamental, guiding principle of this project is that it must be Nepali-driven, meaning that all of its work is both developed and implemented with the participation of Nepali stakeholders, community leaders, scholars and policy makers.

Another project, known as the Melamchi Water Supply Project, aims to bring clean water to Nepal, specifically within the Kathmandu Valley region. Furthermore, the Nepali government is currently working on a National Water Supply and Sanitation Act, as well as a Sector Development Plan aimed at guiding development and setting a roadmap for the near future.

Looking Forward

Efforts are underway to address the current water crisis in Nepal, including government initiatives, international aid and community-based projects that focus on water management, infrastructure development and promoting water conservation. These efforts show the desire to bring change, not only by Nepalis but also by countries around the world working together to ensure that Nepal receives the aid and care it needs to become a successful, healthy country.

– Simone Sanchez

Simone is based in Huntington, NY, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Solving South Sudan’s Water Crisis

South Sudan's Water CrisisOne of the world’s newest countries, South Sudan, celebrated its 16th anniversary of independence in July 2025. However, South Sudan is suffering from a crippling water crisis. Floods, drought and a lack of access to reliable and sanitized water have created an ongoing economic, medical and political turmoil. An inability to manage and provide water to most of its people has exacerbated ongoing poverty and security issues.

However, significant progress is being made with South Sudan’s water crisis. With cooperation with the United Nations (U.N.) and UNICEF, the South Sudanese government is working to meet this challenge by working with private on-the-ground organizations to create real change for South Sudanese people.

South Sudan’s Water Crisis

The roots of the issue lie in the civil war that followed South Sudan’s independence, which resulted in most of its water infrastructure being destroyed. Due to this destruction, South Sudan’s water crisis started to spiral. Around 59% of South Sudanese lack access to clean water and only 11% have access to basic sanitation. The lack of a reliable water resource management system has forced most South Sudanese to rely on unsanitary practices.

South Sudan relies heavily on the Nile River basin for its water supply. Poor management, combined with climate variability, has intensified water scarcity and contributed to alternating cycles of drought and flooding. This forces people to move from their homes, worsening the country’s already tense security situation. Additionally, this worsens food insecurity, creating another potential flash point for civil conflict, as more than 70% of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood.

Government Efforts and Organizations Helping

In August 2024, the South Sudanese government announced plans to join the U.N. Water Convention. This step aims to help the country develop a cohesive strategy for stabilizing and managing its water systems. South Sudan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Pal Mai Deng, stated that “being part of this global convention will open for us huge opportunities beyond measure.” The Convention would strengthen national water institutions and foster cooperation with neighboring countries to improve regional water management.

However, South Sudan’s water crisis isn’t just being solved by governmental organizations. Private groups like Water for South Sudan (WFSS) are helping local communities to tackle the ongoing emergency. WFSS trains local community members to create water committees to ensure these resources are sustainably managed. In 2023 alone, WFSS drilled 47 new wells and repaired 91 preexisting wells, benefiting more than 42,000 people.

In villages like Nyoric, water sources were once extremely far away. One resident, Nyibol, explained that reaching a working well could take up to three hours. Thanks to WFSS and its partners, the village has direct access to clean water.

Final Remarks

Much work remains to solve South Sudan’s water crisis. However, the country is a strong example of how a nation can begin recovering from the brink with support from private aid and the international community.

– Joseph Laughon

Joseph is based in Sacramento, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Amazon’s Water Replenishment Program in India

Amazon's Water Replenishment ProgramWith a population of more than 1.4 billion people, India is the most populous country in the world. This title also puts pressure on the country’s resources, such as clean and safe water. Water stress in India has left 35 million people without access to clean water and more than 600 million people, nearly half of the country, lack reliable plumbing. However, Amazon’s water replenishment program is working to change this. The e-commerce giant’s program is restoring water to several locations in India, including the Yamuna River watershed, Yamare Lake and Sai Reddy Lake, to combat water scarcity.

Restoring 400 Million Litres of Water to New Delhi

At its Water Dialogues event, Amazon announced plans to support water sustainability in India. The project in New Delhi is a partnership with Hasten Regeneration, a developer of ecosystem restoration projects, as well as Arpan Seva Sansthan, a sustainable development nonprofit and Clear Water Dynamics, a water engineering firm.

Amazon’s water replenishment program will focus on improving existing infrastructure, such as check dams, and constructing new water structures, such as recharge shafts and percolation pits. Amazon also plans to plant ample vegetation around these structures to prevent erosion and increase moisture in the surrounding soil. 

These improvements to New Delhi’s water infrastructure are expected to replenish 400 million litres annually to the Yamuna watershed. Amazon’s goal is to replenish more water than what the company uses in its Indian offices and fulfillment centers by 2027.

Rehabilitating Yamare Lake and Sai Reddy Lake

In addition to the project to restore the Yamuna Watershed, Amazon is also focusing its water conservation efforts in other areas of high water stress in India. The Yamare and Sai Reddy Lakes used to be reliable water sources for the surrounding communities. However, sediment buildup, urbanization, vegetation overgrowth and erosion have led to the diminished water storage capacity of the bodies of water and further strain on local water resources.

Amazon is teaming up with the environmental organization SayTrees to restore the lakes. Since January 2025, the partnership has been desilting the lakes, restoring embankments and repairing inlet and outlet structures. These projects aim to bring 270 million litres of water to Yamare Lake and 300 million litres to Sai Reddy Lake annually once completed.

Other Water Conservation Efforts by Amazon

In 2022, Amazon announced a project with WaterAid in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh with the goal of supplying the areas with a combined 640 million liters of water annually. In 2023, Amazon set out to secure consistent water supplies for farmers in Hyderabad by creating 100 new ponds across 12 villages, bringing almost 90 million liters of water to the area annually.

Amazon’s goal is to create “long-lasting, climate-resilient water and sanitation solutions” for communities in India. These water conservation efforts come alongside other initiatives such as reduced and recyclable shipping materials, investments in nature-based projects and switching to electric delivery vehicles. Amazon has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and aims to help more than 1 million people in India access clean and safe water.

– Hannah Fruehstorfer

Hannah is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Water Filtration in Cambodia: Transforming Lives

Water filtration in Cambodia In rural Cambodia, access to clean drinking water remains a daily struggle. Nearly 30% of the rural population still do not have access to safely managed or basic drinking water. Less than 20% of rural residents drank safely managed water in 2022, a slight rise over the previous 10 years.

This lack does not just affect hydration — it directly impacts health, education, income and gender equality. In the face of this ongoing crisis, a new generation of community-centered programs are offering long-term solutions for water filtration in Cambodia that do more than deliver clean water — they are empowering rural Cambodians with jobs and dignity.

Safe Water, One Kiosk at a Time

At the heart of this transformation is Teuk Saat 1001. Since 2007, it has pioneered a simple yet powerful model: train local entrepreneurs in Cambodia to operate water kiosks that produce and distribute UV-filtered water at affordable prices. These kiosks, now numbering more than 300 across underserved rural areas, operate like social enterprises. In 2024 alone, they have provided clean water to more than 1.15 million beneficiaries.

Teuk Saat’s model links sustainable water access with livelihood creation, especially in areas where formal job opportunities are scarce. Instead of relying on external infrastructure, the community itself becomes the driver of its own progress, ensuring long-term maintenance, low-cost supply and local accountability. In addition, the kiosks help reduce the use of charcoal and wood to boil water, contributing to broader environmental goals.

Ceramic Filters and Women’s Empowerment

Another key player in the revolution of water filtration in Cambodia is Hydrologic Social Enterprise, a local business that came from the nonprofit International Development Enterprises (iDE). Hydrologic designs and distributes the Super Tunsai, a ceramic water filter capable of removing 99.99% of bacteria and producing up to 30 liters of clean water per day.

This seemingly small change has huge implications. For many Cambodian women and girls, fetching and boiling water traditionally requires time-consuming labor, exposes them to harmful smoke, and puts them at risk when gathering wood in isolated areas. Hydrologic filters eliminate these dangers while also cutting household expenses on wood fuel and medical treatment.

By selling more than 450,000 filters, Hydrologic has benefited more than 2 million Cambodians, avoided over 1.2 million tonnes of carbon emissions, and directly reached primarily female clients, around 85% of its user base. As a female- and locally-led social enterprise, Hydrologic demonstrates how access to clean water is also a path toward economic participation and gender equity.

Linking Health, Jobs and the SDGs

Programs like Teuk Saat 1001 and Hydrologic do not just address a humanitarian gap — they also contribute directly to SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). By equipping rural communities to manage water distribution systems, these programs bridge the gap between short-term aid and long-term resilience.

Moreover, the reduction in waterborne illnesses, especially among children under five, has ripple effects: improved school attendance, reduced health care costs and stronger local economies.

The Path Forward

In 2025, Cambodia’s Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, along with the French Development Agency and the EU, announced plans to inject €275 million into Cambodia’s water infrastructure by 2027. As these national and international funds scale up, partnering with proven grassroots models like Teuk Saat 1001 and Hydrologic will be crucial to ensure that solutions remain community-driven, sustainable and inclusive.

As Cambodia works toward universal access to safe drinking water, the country’s rural social enterprises are proving that innovation does not always mean high-tech; it can mean training a neighbor, trusting a village and filtering change one household at a time.

– Kai Xian Lim

Kai is based in Lille, France and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Fighting Climate-Driven Poverty in Mexico

Climate-Driven Poverty in MexicoIn Mexico, 36.3% of the population lives in poverty and is unable to earn the bare minimum income to afford to feed their families. However, this number has fallen drastically over the years. This promising progress has been accomplished through programs, including government welfare and raising the minimum wage.

Nonetheless, significant progress still needs to be made, especially in rural areas, where more than 40% of the population lives in poverty. For many of these communities, the economy is based on agriculture. In recent years, this source of income has been increasingly unstable as climate emergencies disrupt weather patterns.

Shifting Weather Patterns

In Mexico’s Yucatán state, the rainy season once began “roughly the same week every year… like clockwork,” said Dr. Ken Seligson, an anthropology professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills and an archaeologist based in Yucatán, in an interview with The Borgen Project.

With shifting weather patterns, the rainy season is much more unpredictable, affecting the livelihoods of subsistence farmers who need to optimize their schedules for planting crops. When their farms have lower yields, they are forced to pick up extra jobs, not to supplement their incomes, but to be able to put food on the table.

Climate-driven poverty in Mexico uproots routine. According to Seligson, this instability sparks desperation, forcing Mexican farmers with no choice but their last resort: “leaving their homes, going to the larger cities and seeking employment in the service industry.”

Low Water Supply

Seligson excavated an archaeological site in the hilly Puuc region in Yucatan, where groundwater only exists hundreds of feet below ground. Thus, families in Puuc address the destructive effects of the changing climate on their lives by utilizing traditional Mayan methods like harvesting rainwater in cisterns.

Even when long-awaited rain finally arrives, it’s often still not enough. In Mexico City, 2025 has seen one of the rainiest Junes in recent history. Yet the water supply remains low, severely affecting the most underserved communities and forcing the general population to conserve before taps run dry.

The infrastructure, such as pipes, is heavily damaged and leaking, preventing the supply of precious water to those who need it. Plus, the effects of sudden precipitation can be more destructive than beneficial for farmers as land now unaccustomed to rain suddenly experiences a dramatic downpour.

Organizations Staving Off Disaster in Mexico

Global nonprofit CADENA works to fight the effects of climate-driven poverty in Mexico, particularly among people in Chiapas. The organization provides humanitarian aid, but beyond that, it proactively engages with communities to train Mexicans to respond to coming disasters.

Some of CADENA’s key accomplishments:

  • Reconstructed the town of Miguel Hidalgo after multiple earthquakes destroyed hundreds of homes.
  • Supported Mexican communities facing El Niño-related disasters by teaching irrigation and traditional water collection methods like rainwater harvesting. These efforts help reduce the risk of water-related conflict, even if they can’t reverse the effects of the climate crisis.
  • Responded to Hurricane Otis in 2023, assisting with rebuilding thousands of homes after one of the most devastating storms in Mexico’s history.

Founded in 2007, the nonprofit Cantaro Azul ensures access to safe drinking water and sanitation in rural Mexico. In addition to its core mission, the organization has responded to several national crises, including:

  • The 2007 floods in Tabasco
  • The H1N1 epidemic in 2009–2010
  • Earthquakes in 2017
  • The 2019 migrant caravan arrivals
  • The COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cantaro Azul launched a public awareness campaign and distributed hand sanitizer to vulnerable communities. The nonprofit also installed dozens of public handwashing stations, known as Safe Water Systems, which used UV Pitcher technology to purify water on-site and promote hygiene in areas with limited infrastructure.

In the wake of Hurricane Otis and Hurricane John, UNESCO supported Mexico’s coastal communities by using its Heritage Emergency Fund to restore cultural and educational institutions. It restaffed the San Diego Fort Historical Museum, a public space for learning and celebrating local culture. By doing so, people affected by disasters can become more resilient despite the struggles they have overcome. UNESCO’s workshops also tackled sexual abuse, migrant inclusion and recovering from grief.

Final Remarks

Besides its detrimental impacts on the planet, changing climatic conditions ultimately drive human problems, especially poverty. Climate-driven poverty in Mexico only exacerbates the instability of employment opportunities while also causing water scarcity and along with that, many other issues. Climate resilience looks a little different for every community. However, each nation unites in the global fight to protect the environment and, most importantly, its people.

– Klara Jones

Klara is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Top 10 Facts About Poverty in Zimbabwe

Poverty in ZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordering Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. Despite its high literacy rates and abundant natural resources, Zimbabwe continues to grapple with chronic poverty, hyperinflation, unemployment and food insecurity.

The 2024 El Niño-induced drought further pushed the country into a dire humanitarian crisis. However, a favorable 2025 harvest has offered some respite, improving livelihoods and food security for millions. Despite these recent positive developments, underlying issues remain, underscoring the need for sustained support and long-term solutions.

Facts About Poverty in Zimbabwe

  1. Extreme Poverty. As of April 2025, approximately 60% of Zimbabwe’s population lived on less than $3.65 a day, placing the country among the most impoverished in Southern Africa.
  2. Food Insecurity. Poverty in Zimbabwe is closely intertwined with food instability, as most households depend on agriculture. Zimbabwe’s fragile economy, marked by hyperinflation and reduced purchasing power, coupled with the El Niño drought, left more than seven million people facing food shortages during the 2024-2025 lean season. Despite improved harvests in mid-2025, food security remains fragile, underscoring the vulnerability of Zimbabwe to economic and climate shocks.
  3. Food Price Inflation. Persistent currency instability has made necessities unaffordable for many households. By July 2025, the year-on-year rate soared to a staggering 120.70%.
  4. Severe Child Malnutrition. About 24% of children aged less than 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition, with merely 10% of babies aged 6 to 23 months receiving an adequate minimum diet. Rising waste rates in both rural and urban areas highlight the widespread nature of Zimbabwe’s poverty.
  5. Rural Poverty. Rural communities, containing about 67% of Zimbabwe’s population, are the most vulnerable to drought and food insecurity, as their livelihoods depend mainly on rain-fed agriculture. However, economic shocks in recent years have started to narrow the rural-urban gap, with poverty also affecting urban areas.
  6. Water Scarcity and Disease. More than four million people lack access to safe water, a critical situation exacerbated by the El Niño drought. Dependence on unsafe sources has led to outbreaks of waterborne diseases, including cholera. Children aged 5 and below are the most vulnerable.
  7. A Fragile Health Care System. Zimbabwe’s public health care system faces critical challenges. About 87% of Zimbabweans lack medical aid coverage. The sector struggles with shortages of medicines, medical personnel, high costs and a significant “brain drain” of health professionals.
  8. Limited Social Safety Nets. While the government provides some grain and cash transfers, social protection coverage remains low. This leaves the most vulnerable citizens dependent on humanitarian aid from NGOs and international organizations. The halt in U.S. funding for HIV/AIDS programs, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, has disrupted the provision of life-saving antiretroviral medication to more than a million Zimbabweans dependent on it. This disruption has raised fears of a potential resurgence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the future.
  9. Unsustainable Public Debt. Zimbabwe’s public debt reached $21.2 billion in 2023, representing 96,6% of its gross domestic product (GDP). This high debt burden limits the country’s access to international financing, further hampering economic recovery.
  10. Women’s Increased Vulnerability. Women bear the hardest consequences of poverty and climate shocks. Many work in the informal sector, lack social protection and live in precarious conditions. The drought has exacerbated their vulnerability, leading to a surge in child and school dropouts among girls. Dependence on their husbands for subsistence increases the risk of women becoming victims of gender-based violence.

Organizations Providing Aid

Despite these challenges, organizations like Action Against Hunger (ACF) and the World Food Program (WFP) are stepping up their efforts to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable Zimbabweans.

ACF provides cash transfers to farmers and households with malnourished children, while ensuring these children receive the necessary medical referrals. Its actions benefited a total of 8,000 people. The organization has also prioritized access to clean water, constructing and refurbishing boreholes and mini water systems that now serve water to more than 19,000 individuals.

Meanwhile, WFP strengthens rural farming communities by training farmers on climate-smart farming techniques, encouraging traditional small grain cultivation, diverse horticulture and animal farming. WFP also introduces agricultural risk insurance, alongside savings and credit products.

Final Remarks

While the successful 2025 harvest has provided a temporary relief, it highlights Zimbabwe’s acute vulnerability to climate shocks. Continued funding and collaboration between the government and international partners are critical for building long-term resilience, ensuring sustainable development and preparing for future crises linked to climate instability.

– Juliette Delbarre

Juliette is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Mission Possible: Combating the Water Crisis in India

Water Crisis in IndiaIndia, home to 18% of the world’s population and only 4% of its water resources, faces a need for sustainable water management. In response, national campaigns and programs that local communities and women are leading are transforming how India conserves, consumes and manages water, thus addressing the water crisis in India.

About the Water Crisis in India

The severe water crisis amid record-breaking heat waves intensifies each summer, and according to data from India’s Health Ministry, between March 1st and June 18th, 2024, 110 people died from heatstroke.

The right to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right. According to the Central Ground Water Board in 2020, 256 districts were water-stressed. In rural areas groundwater levels are overexploited, and as per a report from the National Commission on Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD), India’s average per capita water availability, is likely to reduce drastically by 2050, leading to a severely water stressed country.

In rural settings, the lack of infrastructure and sanitation, fueled by a lack of hygiene education, gives way for preventable waterborne diseases to take the lives of millions every year. It affects countless children and elderly folk whose immune systems are weakened by age. The public taps and tube wells that are the primary source for many in rural areas are the most prone to contamination.

In addition to global causes like changing weather patterns and availability, India faces specific, deeply rooted challenges. In a country like India where social inequalities have persisted, social inequities that linger directly impact access to water, how it is allocated, distributed and consumed. Additionally, water scarcity and exclusion from public resources continue to disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Here are some key missions working to address the water crisis in India:

1. Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain Campaign

The Indian government launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan campaign, which translates to “water power,” in 2019 to promote water conservation strategies across India, especially the rural areas. The initiative introduces a new slogan and theme each year on World Water Day, March 22nd. In 2024, the focus was to empower women with the slogan “Nari Shakti Se Jal Shakti’ to highlight the role of women in sustainable management of water resources.

This year’s campaign emphasizes water conservation and management through community participation and innovative strategies. It launched in Banaskantha, Gujarat, with the aim to construct 50,000 recharge wells along with water conservation strategies that boost groundwater levels, agriculture and sustainable farming.

To raise awareness this year, it featured several key events including the inauguration of exhibitions that highlighted water conservation through artistic expression and the unveiling of innovative water management projects, including Community Sanitary Complexes, Liquid Waste Management Systems, the Gobardhan Project and a Solid Waste Management Shed in Haryana, according to a press release by the Press Information Bureau.

Since its launch in 2019, this campaign has had tremendous success. Between March 2023 to December 2023 alone, the initiative implemented 66.4 million afforestation activities, built approximately 1.06 million water harvesting structures, renovated more than 250,000 traditional water bodies and created 1.24 million watershed development structures.

2. Jal Jeevan Mission: Har Ghar Jal

The government of India launched The Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019 as a flagship program to provide safe and adequate drinking water to rural households across India. Planned as a four-year initiative, the mission focuses on implementing long term sustainable water systems as well as greywater management and rainwater harvesting.

Since its announcement in 2019, rural households with tap water connections have grown from 17% to 80%, now reaching around 156 million households. The mission enabled a total of 154 districts, 1,570 blocks, 95,728 Gram Panchayats and 1,99,675 villages to become “Har Ghar Jal,” meaning every home has access to water.

According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the mission has helped avert nearly 400,000 deaths from diarrheal diseases, prevented 14 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and saved up to $101 billion in health-related costs.

3. Jal Sahelis or “Water friends”

India’s drought-prone Bundelkhand region saw a movement in water conservation led by local communities and women. Local NGO group Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan set up the Jal Saheli program in 2011 to address the long history of water scarcity in the region. The initiative aimed to empower women— many of whom used to walk over a mile to fetch water from a well— to take charge of water management in their communities.

This program enabled women from different villages to receive training in water conservation efforts and management, learning about sustainability and government schemes. Challenging gender norms, the women became the face of advocacy and leadership.

The initiative’s efforts contributed to a shift in agricultural water use, retention of rainwater techniques, and more. Today, there are around 1,530 Jal Sahelis (water friends)  across 321 villages in Bundelkhand.

Other Initiatives

Additional campaigns and government initiatives, such as the Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies (RRR) scheme, have launched to support broader water management and conservation goals. The RRR scheme is a more long-term scheme that originated in 2005 with a focus to restore and enhance water bodies such as to improve irrigation and efficiency. Since its launch, more than 1,000 water bodies have been restored across multiple states.

Looking Ahead

The growing impacts of changing weather patterns, groundwater crisis and water availability emphasizes the need to focus on water not just as a resource but as a lifeline. Initiatives and movements like the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan mission make empowering communities to learn more about water conservation and management more imperative than ever.

For millions of villages in India, the promise of safe water is not just a milestone, but a shift toward a more water abundant and sustainable country in the face of changing climates.

– Sahana Shastry

Sahana is based in Newtown Square, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Pakistan’s Water Crisis: The Indus Water Treaty Suspension

Pakistan’s Water CrisisIndia and Pakistan, two adjacent nations in Southern and Southeastern Asia, gained independence from British rule in 1947. Once the countries became sovereign, disputes regarding water from the Indus Basin, a critical body of water consisting of six rivers, predominantly in India and Pakistan, became increasingly common. After nine years of negotiations, the two nations signed the Indus Water Treaty in 1960 to allocate crucial natural resources to both countries.

The Indus Water Treaty is one of the most successful international treaties in the world; however, after a military conflict between India and Pakistan that began in April 2025, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi suspended the treaty, attempting to increase India’s control of the basin. While infrastructure to control the basin would take India some time to complete, Pakistan’s existing water crisis would certainly worsen without access to this resource.

Pakistan’s Water Crisis

Water has always been scarce in Pakistan due to low rainfall in its alluvial plain climate, but currently, Pakistan could be one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. Administrative challenges and shortcomings – such as policy implementation delays, regulatory enforcement deficiencies, inefficient data collection and unsatisfactory climate adaptations – have hindered resource management and, as a result, access to water for people in Pakistan, significantly worsening the water crisis.

In June 2025, usable water reserves dropped drastically, with experts reporting a cumulative decrease of 723,000 feet over just four days. Pakistan experienced 67% less rainfall than usual in the winter 2024 to 2025, making the season one of the driest in the country’s history. The hardest-hit region, Sindh, recorded a 90% reduction in rainfall, and Pakistan’s agricultural center, Punjab, documented a 69% reduction.

As Pakistan relies on the basin’s water for around 90% of its agriculture, water from the Indus Basin is essential for food cultivation. Farming in Pakistan could be severely limited due to a lack of water from the basin, causing people to lose both livelihoods and access to indispensable crops.

Unstable Hydropower System

Because of an unstable hydropower system, Pakistan relies heavily on coal imports. A lack of water and an increased investment in power from fossil fuels could cause an increase in coal imports; at a time when around 60% of Pakistan’s GDP is burdened by debt, this will further economic hardship and hinder Pakistan’s ability to invest in hydropower infrastructure or diversification in the energy sector.

In 2022, Pakistan suffered the costliest flood ever recorded: the disaster disrupted lives, upended agricultural infrastructure and rendered water undrinkable. Because the Indus Water Treaty suspension has resulted in India withholding information on Indus Basin water levels, Pakistan may experience a greater risk of sudden, disastrous floods.

As it stands, only about 39% of people living in Pakistan have access to clean water, and estimates place up to 90% of available water being subpar quality. If water from the Indus Basin is cut off, Pakistani people are at risk of further losing access to the drinking water needed to sustain lives and communities.

NGOs Support Communities in Need

As Pakistan’s water crisis has endured, NGOs have played a pivotal role in offsetting harm. Humanitarian groups help install handpumps, solar-powered filtration systems and water-extracting boreholes to help ensure people in Pakistan have access to clean water.

Ek Plate Biryani installed more than 600 hand pumps across Thar – a district in Sindh, Pakistan –  by the end of 2024. Each pump provides about 50 to 100 Pakistani people with safe drinking water daily.

Human Appeal uses donations to help build water wells in Pakistan with its multinational Water and Sanitation projects. Water wells are critical to combating water scarcity, as they can provide whole communities with water for drinking, cooking, bathing and agriculture.

In November 2023, WaterAid Pakistan announced its Country Programme Strategy for 2023-2028 that aims to expedite WASH progress in the country, emphasizing solutions that bolster public health outcomes and consider climate change challenges.

Looking Ahead

Following sustained tensions between Pakistan and India that instigated the Indus Water Treaty suspension, Pakistan’s water crisis is becoming increasingly dire. Though it could take years for India to build the infrastructure needed to cut off Pakistan from the Indus Basin, imperative next steps to support those affected by Pakistan’s water crisis include community mobilization, practical legislation, dam building, water conservation and diplomatic negotiations between Pakistan and India.

– Erin Hellhake

Erin is based in Old Bridge, NJ, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Satellite Technology Combating Yemen’s Drought Crisis

Satellite Technology Combating Yemen’s Drought Crisis Years of conflict in Yemen have destroyed vital infrastructure, leaving 20.7 million people in need of humanitarian aid, including 15 million without reliable access to clean water. The severity of these conditions has raised the demand for innovative solutions such as satellite technology.

Satellite technology sparks hope as a pivotal tool in transforming humanitarian disasters, enabling remote sensing to monitor, assess and respond to water scarcity. It creates access to clean water through satellites capturing vital data on rainfall patterns, soil moisture and land use, providing updated insights in a country with limited on-the-ground access. Thus, integrating satellite technology to combat Yemen’s drought crisis could lay the groundwork for long-term resilience in one of the world’s most water-insecure regions. 

Yemen’s Ongoing Water Shortage

Yemen faces one of the most severe water crises worldwide, with groundwater depletion occurring at twice the natural recharge rate. The cultivation of Qat, which consumes more than 40% of the country’s renewable water resources and 32% of all groundwater withdrawals, is a major driver of the depletion. Nearly 17.8 million people lack access to safe water and adequate sanitation services. Conversely, the national water network reaches less than 30% of the population, forcing many, especially women and children, to walk long distances only to fetch water. Overall, this scarcity has triggered major health crises, including the worst cholera outbreak in modern history, with more than 2.5 million reported cases and at least 4,000 deaths since 2016.

The ongoing conflict and political instability have further exacerbated water access and management, as infrastructure deteriorates and institutional oversight weakens, aggravating the crisis of water scarcity and aridity. The International Committee of the Red Cross has responded to this issue by rehabilitating boreholes and water stations, allocating chlorine tablets and supplying more than 3 million liters of water with 17 generators to prisons, hospitals and water projects to help reduce waterborne disease outbreaks. Despite these critical interventions, the continuous droughts highlight a growing humanitarian call for global concern driven by environmental, social and political challenges that demand urgent, coordinated action through satellite technology to combat Yemen’s drought crisis.

Remote Sensing Water Displacement

Advancements in satellite technology are revolutionizing Yemen’s approach to managing its prolonged water crisis. With nearly 80% of the population requiring humanitarian aid, traditional methods of monitoring groundwater levels have become increasingly challenging due to ongoing conflict and infrastructure degradation. Remote sensing tools, such as the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land, have been pivotal in providing high-resolution data on evapotranspiration and irrigated areas, offering a comprehensive understanding of water usage. For instance, the Groundwater and Soil Conservation Project, founded in 2009, initiated implementing the use of satellite imagery to assess crop water consumption in areas such as Siham, Abiyan, Dhamar and Rada.

 The findings revealed that single-season crops, which constitute 76% of irrigated land, have a significantly higher evapotranspiration rate compared to rainfed crops, highlighting areas where water conservation efforts can be most effective. This data-driven technique, derived from the integration of satellite-based systems, enables real-time monitoring of groundwater recharge and abstraction rates, facilitating the identification of regions most at risk of depletion. This approach empowers local authorities and humanitarian agencies to plan targeted interventions, such as promoting water-efficient irrigation techniques and sustainable crop selection.

NGO Satellite Solutions

A consortium led by HR Wallingford is deploying an advanced satellite-based system to monitor Yemen’s groundwater remotely. Using data on rainfall and cropland, the system estimates groundwater recharge and usage in real-time, providing pivotal information to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) amid limited ground access due to conflict.

This technology overcomes traditional monitoring challenges by enabling continuous tracking of aquifer depletion and forecasting future water availability under climate change scenarios. It supports preventive measures such as early detection of shortages and promoting efficient irrigation and crop management to reduce water stress. NGOs utilize this data to target vulnerable communities, coordinate relief efforts and implement on-the-ground conservation programs.

By offering transparent, scalable monitoring, the system fosters collaboration between NGOs and international partners, enhancing Yemen’s capacity to manage its severe drought crisis effectively and ensure a more ecologically balanced future. 

What’s Next?

By providing a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of water resources, satellite technology plays a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of Yemen’s water crisis and steering the nation toward a more sustainable future.

– Hibah Iqbal

Hibah is based in Houston, TX, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr