Archive for category: Water

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Clean Water Access in Nigeria: How Communities Solve the Crisis

Clean Water Access in NigeriaRural communities in Nigeria face the steepest hurdles to access clean, safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Many households still rely on unprotected wells, streams or vendors, while schools and clinics struggle without reliable WASH services. UNICEF estimates that millions remain without basic drinking water and that open defecation persists on a large scale, with the burden falling hardest on rural families.

Nigeria’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) 2021 assessment shows wide rural and wealth-based gaps in access, underscoring the need to invest where services lag the most.

Health and School Attendance

Unsafe water and poor sanitation drive diarrheal disease, cholera outbreaks and undernutrition, which in turn keep children out of class. Schools without toilets or handwashing stations see higher absenteeism and girls are more likely to miss lessons during menstruation when facilities are inadequate.

UNICEF reporting links improved school WASH to better attendance and fewer disease outbreaks, while global WASH-in-Schools data show that safe water, private toilets and soap at school are tied to learning and dignity, particularly for girls.

WaterAid Nigeria: Community WASH in Action

WaterAid Nigeria partners with state governments and communities to install and maintain water points, expand sanitation and promote everyday hygiene behaviors. Its 2023–2028 country strategy prioritizes systems strengthening so local authorities can finance, operate and sustain services beyond a single project cycle.

WaterAid is also part of technical groups that support behavior change, supply chains and accountability, helping rural districts build reliable access and keep services working.

Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet

The federal government’s Clean Nigeria campaign aims to end open defecation by 2025 and move households toward safely managed sanitation. The campaign mobilizes states, local governments and households through community-led approaches, public awareness and certification of open defecation-free areas.

UNICEF supports the effort with technical assistance and outreach and recent updates highlight the urgency of accelerating progress so that gains are sustained across rural districts.

National Action Plan: A Path to 2030

Nigeria’s National Action Plan for the Revitalization of the WASH Sector sets a three-phase roadmap that includes an 18-month emergency plan, a five-year recovery program and a long-term strategy through 2030.

The plan outlines a renewed federal-state partnership, more precise service targets and stronger financing so rural communities can gain and sustain access. Civil society groups summarize how the plan links with the national sanitation campaign, aligning policy and implementation at the state and local levels.

Building Pathways Out of Poverty

Expanding rural access to clean, safe water and sanitation reduces disease, protects household income and keeps children in school in Nigeria. It also creates jobs in construction, operations and local supply chains. Indeed, the World Bank’s SURWASH program projects service gains in water and sanitation and upgrades in schools and health facilities, complementing Clean Nigeria and NGO partnerships.

Continued investment in these approaches could help Nigeria scale reliable services and unlock health and education gains that drive long-term poverty reduction.

– Joseph Hasty

Joseph is based in Winter Park, FL, USA and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Water Politics and Poverty Reduction in Jordan

Poverty Reduction in JordanJordan, one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, utilizes innovative solutions, with the help of U.S. aid, that lead to poverty reduction, improved livelihoods, and strengthened national resilience in a fragile regional context.

Water Access in Jordan

UNICEF estimates that water in Jordan is available weekly in urban areas and biweekly in more rural communities. Annually renewed water sources provide only about 90 cubic meters of water to each person every year; this is less than one-fifth of the severe water scarcity threshold as defined by the Falkenmark Water Stress Indicator. By 2040, these provisions are estimated to fall to 60 cubic meters per person yearly.

Limited frash water in the region, which the neighbouring territories of Israel and Palestine also change, including the rapid expansion of the population, are one of the main reasons for such extreme water scarcity.

Water as Politics

Access to clean water is a stabilizing force for nations. Without access to safe, clean water, Jordanians do not have means for hydration or basic hygiene, heightening vulnerability to disease and damaging the nation’s overall public health.

Without an increase in Jordanian water supply, the current growth of the agriculture, industry, and energy sectors could face disruption, restricting increases in GDP and employment rates.

Currently, only about 15.5% of Jordanian women participate in the workforce. This may be due to the fact that women and children bear the majority of water-collection responsibilities. If water were more readily available closer to home, women and children could spend less time traveling to collection sites. Consequently, more women could participate in the workforce and children could spend more time in school.

Public health, national employment levels and workforce availability, as well as education, are key components of a nation’s politics and among the main concerns of its governance. These elements, linked to water security, impact the stability of the nation and highlight the importance of water politics for poverty reduction in Jordan.

Innovative Solutions

In looking for solutions to water scarcity in Jordan, UNICEF found that the country loses around 52% of available water as non-revenue water, through leaks, theft and billing inefficiencies. In 2022, the Jordanian government announced a nationwide plan aimed at combating non-revenue water loss. With a 2040 deadline, the state aims to narrow non-revenue water to less than 25% nationally, according to the International Trade Administration (IDA).

One of the ongoing projects directed at waste reduction through systems upgrades, funded largely by USAID, involves the implementation of Smart Metering, Monitoring, and Controlling Systems, IDA reports. This change to the water network in Jordan could allow the government to resolve leaks more rapidly and prevent theft through unauthorized access. By reducing waste and ensuring fair distribution, these innovations support poverty reduction in Jordan by making reliable water access more equitable across communities.

Jordan has also found a solution for the lack of freshwater available in the region. Utilizing reverse osmosis technology, the nation is currently undergoing an ambitious international project: the Aqaba-Amman Desalinization and Conveyance Project, also known as the National Water Carrier Project.

The Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation plans to use reverse osmosis to convert seawater from the Gulf of Aqaba into clean, safe freshwater. The proposed desalinization plant will be large enough to convert 300 million cubic meters of seawater yearly and will attach to a 450-kilometer (roughly 280-mile) transmission and distribution system that reaches Jordan’s capital, Amman.

Jordan’s Water, Everyone’s World

Saroj Kumar Jha, a Global Water Director for the World Bank, says that “Without water, economies falter, food production collapses, and public health deteriorates.” This statement can also go a step further: without water, nations are vulnerable to violence.

While discussed in terms of the United States’ own water supply, generalizations of the Center of Naval Analyses’ Military Advisory Board’s findings remain the same in Jordan: water scarcity can create civil unrest and localized violence, and the stress of water scarcity creates an environment more supportive of government agitators and violent extremist organizations.

For Jordan, water is more than survival– it is foundational to peace, economic progress and resilience in a volatile region. U.S. aid and innovative projects that expand water access are not simply engineering solutions; they are strategies of poverty reduction in Jordan that lift families out of cycles of deprivation and create pathways for health, education, and work.

Because most of Jordan’s limited freshwater resources are shared with Palestine and Israel, water scarcity easily spills over into regional tensions. Addressing water-focused poverty reduction in Jordan, therefore, reduces not only domestic vulnerability but also the risk of resource-driven instability across the Middle East.

– Alyse Rhee

Alyse is based in Winter Garden, FL, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty and Water Security in the Sahel

Water Security in the SahelWater security is a significant concern in the Sahel, where a lack of water endangers lives, livelihoods and long-term stability. This fragile region, which contains some of Africa’s most climate-vulnerable countries, is dealing with worsening droughts, expanding deserts and rising displacement. For millions, the everyday struggle for safe and reliable water worsens poverty, increases hunger and reduces resilience.

Access to clean water has progressed beyond a simple humanitarian requirement, becoming the foundation for economic development, social stability and the prospect of a more secure future.

How Scarcity Fuels Malnutrition

Reliable water access is essential for the Sahel’s food systems to meet the needs of a fast-growing population. Between June and August 2025, approximately 47.4 million people are projected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity, the highest number recorded in the region.

The impact on children is especially severe: 16.3 million children below 5 years are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition, including 4.3 million in severe condition. These figures represent more than statistics. They reflect families whose crops fail, herders who lose livestock and communities forced to pay higher prices for scarce food.

As rainfall becomes more unpredictable and fertile lands keep degrading, farming is becoming riskier, leading to a quicker spread of hunger. However, by enhancing water security in the Sahel through methods like irrigation, sustainable groundwater management and climate-resilient farming practices, these trends can be turned around. This would lessen hunger and allow communities to break free from poverty.

Water Scarcity Fuels Poverty Through Displacement

Water scarcity threatens livelihoods and drives mass displacement and instability across the Sahel. In early 2025, 9.1 million people were forcibly displaced, including 6.6 million internally displaced individuals and 2.5 million refugees and asylum seekers.

Entire communities have been torn apart as environmental changes wipe out traditional living methods. Since the ’60s, Lake Chad has lost nearly 90% of its size, destroying the farming and fishing jobs that once supported millions. When families can’t find water, they’re forced to leave their homes, which puts pressure on the communities that take them in and increases competition for limited resources.

These difficulties can weaken social ties, increase insecurity and push even more people into poverty. Addressing water scarcity could help stabilize these communities and reduce migration pressures. It also allows governments and aid organizations to shift their focus from emergency measures to sustainable solutions for poverty.

Limited Water Deepens Poverty and Vulnerability

Access to clean water remains critically low in the Sahel, disproportionately affecting women, children and the most vulnerable populations. In Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, nearly 38 million people lack drinking water and 68 million lack basic sanitation services.

For many families, children often spend hours fetching water instead of attending school and poor sanitation contributes to preventable illnesses that reduce productivity and educational attainment. These challenges deepen inequality and make it even tougher for communities to break free from poverty. Expanding access to safe water and sanitation is crucial, not just to boost health and education outcomes, but also to lay the groundwork needed to shatter the cycle of poverty.

Tackling Water Scarcity in the Sahel

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been pivotal in expanding access to safe drinking water. In 2024, UNICEF installed eight solar-powered water systems to reduce the hassle of finding water in the region.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), a regional body supported by member governments, strengthens water governance, improves irrigation and promotes sustainable farming. Together, these efforts are critical in easing the burden of drought and helping Sahelian communities secure their future.

Conclusion

The connection between water security and poverty in the Sahel is unmistakable. Issues like hunger, displacement and inequality arise from inconsistent water access. For countless individuals, the lack of safe water impacts every part of their lives, from their meals to whether their kids can attend school.

By focusing on sustainable water infrastructure, empowering resilient communities and prioritizing water access in humanitarian and development efforts, the Sahel can start to pave the way toward stability and opportunity. Indeed, water isn’t just a basic necessity; it’s a vital resource that can help break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter, more secure future for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

– Anagha Rajithkumar

Anagha is based in Prince Edward Island, Canada and focuses on Business Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Solar Water Pumps in Nepal: A Lifeline for Farmers

Solar-Powered Water Pumps in Nepal: A Lifeline for Farmers Solar-powered water pumps in Nepal are transforming rural farming communities by providing reliable irrigation and clean water access, boosting incomes and resilience against climate challenges. In a country where the population relies on agriculture, these innovative systems help smallholder farmers overcome water scarcity, increase crop yields and escape poverty traps.

Empowering Farmers with Sustainable Irrigation

Amongst remote Himalayan foothills and arid plains, solar-powered water pumps in Nepal are enabling farmers to irrigate fields efficiently without relying on costly diesel or unreliable electricity. For instance, in Shikharpur village, a solar pump installed by Renewable World delivers 40,000 liters of water daily to about 120 households and a school. This has allowed farmers like Daley Sarki to grow vegetables year-round, doubling her income through market sales and additional off-season crops like tomatoes and cauliflowers.

These pumps also promote efficient water use through training on techniques like growing produce under plastic sheets, fostering long-term sustainability. By reducing the time spent fetching water — previously up to three hours daily — women farmers can take on secondary jobs, enhancing household economic stability.

Boosting Incomes and Community Resilience

Solar-powered water pumps in Nepal are not only cutting costs but also creating new revenue streams for farmers. In Madhesh Province, Renu Devi Sah replaced her diesel pump with a 1.425-kilowatt solar system, slashing daily irrigation expenses from NPR 3,875 to just NPR 265. She now supplies water to eight neighboring farms at affordable rates, while expanding her own cultivation to include high-value vegetables like cauliflower and onions. Similarly, Jitendra Das in Janakpurdham uses his solar pump for a fish hatchery, saving 60% on water costs over five years and planning to supply fingerlings to local farmers.

These initiatives, supported by organizations like the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) and funded through the Sustainable Energy Challenge Fund (SECF), emphasize commercial viability and social impact. By integrating microfinance loans with technical assistance, they empower marginalized groups, particularly women, to achieve financial independence.

Addressing Climate Challenges with Eco-Friendly Solutions

Amid erratic rainfall and droughts exacerbated by climate change, solar-powered water pumps in Nepal are proving vital in regions like Bajhang and Bajura. Practical Action’s installations lift water from rivers to reservoirs, supplying multi-use systems for irrigation, drinking and livestock. Farmer Tek Bahadur Thapa reports sufficient water for year-round crops, enabling him to expand apple orchards and improve family nutrition.

These systems reduce drudgery, especially for women who once trekked hours for water and promote environmental sustainability by avoiding diesel emissions. Community-managed “Pay for Water” schemes ensure maintenance, while avoiding overextraction through efficient designs. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) highlights Nepal’s high solar potential — up to 2,100 MW for grid and off-grid use — making these pumps a scalable solution for poverty reduction.

Global Lessons and Expanding Impact

Drawing from successful models in countries like Yemen and Australia, solar-powered water pumps in Nepal demonstrate how renewable technology can replace burdensome diesel systems. In Yemen, farmers like Mufrih Saleh have adopted solar pumps to irrigate 405,000 acres, cutting fuel dependency amid shortages. Nepal’s efforts, backed by the World Bank, focus on groundwater governance to prevent overuse while promoting adoption in the Eastern Gangetic Plains.

The World Bank’s initiatives emphasize subsidies for small farmers and awareness of efficient water management, ensuring equitable access. With partnerships involving AEPC, Practical Action and international funders like the British government, these pumps are building drought resilience and fostering inclusive growth.

Looking Ahead

As solar-powered water pumps in Nepal continue to expand, they offer a beacon of hope for millions, turning climate vulnerabilities into opportunities for prosperity. By harnessing the sun’s energy, farmers are not only securing their livelihoods but also paving the way for a more resilient, poverty-free future.

– Robert Darke

Robert is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Progress in Fighting Poverty in Balochistan

Fighting Poverty in BalochistanBalochistan is Pakistan’s largest province. While it is nearly half of Pakistan’s territory, it is home to roughly 6% of the Pakistani population, 14.8 million. Poverty and a lack of economic development have exacerbated systemic issues of insecurity and nationalist tensions. Thanks to the international community and local government initiatives, there has been major progress in fighting poverty in Balochistan.

The World Bank has helped the Pakistani government to address the two main sources of poverty: water insecurity and a lack of education, both of which contribute to violence and the ongoing Baloch insurgency. These solutions help address much of the core issue and have integrated local communities in the implementation, which has been critical to sustainable success.

Poverty in Balochistan

Fighting poverty in Balochistan is a critical security issue in the region. Yunas Samad, professor at the University of Bradford and research fellow of Political Science at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, points out that Balochistan is neglected and instead is mostly treated as a place to extract resources, in particular minerals and natural gas. Despite its critical location for mining and the important Gwadar Port, the region remains impoverished.

The province has been subjected to resource extraction. Yet, locals and the provincial government receive minimal benefits or returns, even though mining and energy extraction are constitutionally designated as provincial and not federal subjects. The region has been earmarked as crucial to the new China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, its Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.421 below the national average of 0.562.

This has resulted in a poverty rate of more than 71% in 2015, well above the national average of 38%. This is despite the region being home to the Suri Gas Field, one of Pakistan’s largest reserves. This systemic poverty and neglect have created the conditions for a new phase in the Balochistan conflict. Imtiaz Baloch, a journalist and researcher focusing on Balochistan, notes that the region’s marginalization has always been the fuel for the conflict.

The Baloch Insurgency

The Baloch insurgency began when the region joined Pakistan in 1948, with major outbreaks throughout the 20th century as the Islamabad government centralized control over provinces like Balochistan. Although major insurgent factions declared a ceasefire in 2018, significant attacks, including recent hijackings and suicide bombings in 2025, continue to occur.

After relative calm in the ’90s, the fifth phase of the conflict emerged from escalating tensions between weakened Baloch nationalist parties, unable to form a united political front and the Pakistani state over persistent social and economic inequalities. The Baloch people’s demands for greater political rights, resource control and increased autonomy intensified.

Ironically, increased economic investment from the Pakistani and Chinese governments has only deepened Balochistanis’ feelings that they are being exploited. This sense of isolation and disempowerment created a new insurgency movement, one that has spread beyond Pakistan to other Baloch regions in nearby Iran and Afghanistan.

Armed factions like the Baloch Liberation Army – Jeeyand (BLA-J) use this disempowerment to conduct suicide attacks on Gwadar Port facilities, the Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar and especially on foreign investment in Balochistan. Unlike previous phases, the new Baloch insurgency has focused on economic targets.

Despite its economic potential, CPEC has intensified the Baloch insurgency, exacerbating grievances over resource control, marginalization and cultural erosion. The growing sophistication and frequency of attacks on CPEC-related targets underscore the persistence of the insurgency. These threats endanger regional stability and the project’s success if left unaddressed through inclusive development and dialogue.

Fighting Poverty in Balochistan

The Baloch provincial government recently started a new initiative. It will focus on increased water security, energy infrastructures and agricultural development for the Baloch people to create new opportunities. A partnership from the World Bank has matched this effort. In 2025, the World Bank pledged $94 million to the Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project. It aims to provide improved water access and irrigation to more than 500,000 additional people.

In addition to these efforts, the international organization also focuses on the future through increased access to education. The World Bank is providing an additional $100 million for the Getting Results: Access and Delivery of Quality Education Services in Balochistan (GRADES-Balochistan) program, which will educate 250,000 students and 5,000 teachers. Inga Afanasieva, Team Leader for the project, calls the program “a strategically important initiative that addresses critical gaps in access to and quality of pre-primary and primary education in the province.”

More importantly, this new progress is focusing on integrating local communities directly. The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund is tackling the issue of providing more schools and enrolling nearly 8,000 students in Balochistan, through its Balochistan Education Initiative. These coordinated efforts are important, as only 40% of Baloch children and only 20% of Baloch women are educated. Dr Shahnawaz Khan, Chief Executive of the Balochistan Rural Support Program, highlights these new models as the ones that will be a “foundation for change.”

Conclusion

The Balochistan insurgency is a thorny issue that impacts the lives of millions of people in the wider region. Decades of central government neglect, ethnic tensions and economic marginalization have created a conflict that, without action, shows little signs of stopping. Yet a coalition of governmental and private organizations is finally creating change. Baloch society can finally move past the violence by fighting poverty in Balochistan and providing education and economic opportunities.

– Joseph Laughon

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

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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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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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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3 Innovative Ways NGOs Reduce Water Scarcity in Rural Africa

Water Scarcity in Rural AfricaA lack of clean, sustainable and accessible water resources has plagued rural Africa for a long time. More than half of the population in rural Africa lacks access to safe drinking water. Beyond the immediate concerns, water scarcity creates numerous other problems. Collecting water can become a timely cost and the burden usually falls on the women in the house.

This reduces the economic stability of families across the continent and contributes to poverty rates. Additionally, it creates a dependence on contaminated water, which leads to increased rates of cholera and dysentery internationally. The rural community in Africa is suffering under the threat of scarce water supply. However, various organizations are getting creative in reducing water scarcity in rural Africa. They dream that one day, clean water will be the standard.

Fog Nets: Harvesting Water From the Air

Fog Nets are essentially, multilayered nets that harvest moisture from the air where fog is present but water is not. Popular especially in mountain ranges, it provides a consistent flow of clean water for nearby inhabitants. While the nets alone cannot sustain a population, they contribute significantly.

These fog nets provide 1,000 liters of water daily to arid sections of Africa. Originating in the Atacama Desert in Chile, this fabric creates a sustainable and clean alternative to disease-infested waters. This creative technology is reducing water scarcity in rural Africa every day and several NGOs hope to install it as a long-term solution for citizens across Africa.

Water ATMs: Creating Access To Clean Water

The concept of a Water-ATM is being tested across two African villages. Essentially, these ATMs are access points at which surrounding villages can purchase verified clean water through a metered system. It would simultaneously reduce the distance necessary to attain water and ensure its cleanliness.

Vendors seem extremely eager to enter the business, charging customers through a metered system that would remain affordable. These machines are accessible by pre-paid cards, allowing individuals to pour the water into their basins and transport it a few kilometers back to their homes, instead of taking hours. This solution is slowly helping to reduce water scarcity in rural Africa. However, with the necessary financial support, it has the potential to save lives and transform communities across rural Africa.

Play-Powered Water Access

In 2009, two companies, NOV Mono and Water For All, began working to reduce water scarcity in rural Africa by launching an initiative in Johannesburg, South Africa. Together, they introduced the “Fun Pump,” a water system that combines a solar-powered electric pump with a merry-go-round structure for children to play on.

Not only is this structure bringing clean water to these rural communities, but it’s also bringing joy. Modern play structures like these are few and far between, so kids are enthused to play on them, powering the water initiative for the surrounding villages.

Looking Forward

It’s no secret that water scarcity is a growing problem in Africa. People spend hours every day trekking to bring contaminated water to their homes. However, initiatives like the fun pump, water ATM and fog nets create clean, accessible and sustainable water sources across rural Africa.

– Caroline May

Caroline is based in Denver, CO, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Work Expanding Clean Water Access

clean water accessIn July 2025, the Saqani village in Fiji gained clean water access. The 150 residents no longer have to boil water before drinking it, and the Fijian government is aiming to provide clean water to the entire country. This is just one example of expanded clean water access in developing countries. Around the world, 703 million people, almost 9% of the global population, do not have access to clean water. In developing countries, 80% of diseases are associated with poor sanitation. Governments and non-government organizations have partnered to address this critical issue. Here are some of their recent successes in bringing clean water to people in need.

Water Sanitation and Collection in Kiribati and Tonga

The Kiribati government collaborated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Suez Group to install 10 solar-powered water plants in five of the country’s islands. Between August 2024 and April 2025, the collective built plants on the islands of Aranuka, Onotoa, Beru, Abatiku and Arorae. This brought clean water to more than 5,800 people, 4% of Kiribati’s population. The initiative plans to build plants on four more islands, including two on the island of Marakei.

The plants focus on desalination, the process of removing salt and minerals from water. Desalination allows communities to create drinkable water from more sources, such as seawater, particularly beneficial for an island nation.

In Kiribati, drought and rising sea levels had contaminated well water, and six to eight children had died every week from illnesses associated with contaminated water. Following the construction, the Church also replaced a broken water pump and built a second water tank in the Fahefa village in Tonga, an island nation south of Kiribati.

Funding for the Water Sector in Cambodia

Cambodia’s Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MISTI) and the French Development Agency (AFD) partnered in June 2025 to finance clean water access in the country. The organizations, along with the European Union, are considering a fund of €275 million for Cambodia’s water sector between 2025 and 2027.

The organizations established a new borrowing limit to a bank to support private water supply companies. They also discussed creating programs to train water sector professionals in Cambodia.

Almost 4 million people in Cambodia lack access to a safe toilet. Of the poorest rural Cambodians, 80% defecate in open spaces, which can lead to water contamination. One in three people in the country does not separate contaminants from water, increasing the risk of contracting disease.

New Water Infrastructure in India

In June 2025, engineers inspected locations in Khowai, India, to determine which could house new water infrastructure. The town plans to install overhead water tanks at these sites, one of which is near a high school. The Khowai Municipal Council expects to allocate $5.8 million for the projects.

In Manipur, east of Khowai, the Indian government’s JalJeevan Mission (JJM) has provided rural households with tap water capabilities since August 2019. As of June 2025, the project has implemented 286 water supply schemes.

– Tyler Payne

Tyler is based in Allentown, PA, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Success in Zambian river restoration

Zambian river restorationRivers are critical to the Zambian economy and way of life, providing food, energy and jobs. However, environmental degradation from failed dam projects, pollution and mismanagement have threatened the sustainability of these crucial waterways, having a devastating impact on local communities. Major rivers like the Zambezi, Kafue and Nsongwe rivers, among others, have all suffered reductions. However, progress is being made in Zambian river restoration. Through private actors like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development, local Zambian communities have begun to help solve poverty by healing their rivers.

Background

Rivers like the lower Kafue are incredibly important to nearly all aspects of life, supporting 900,000 Zambians. Nearly 20% of cattle in the area rely on the wetlands from the Kafue River and 90% of all electricity in Zambia comes from dams on rivers like the Kafue.

According to the 2017 report, “Water resources, and the essential services they provide, are critical to achieving poverty reduction, inclusive growth, public health, food security, human dignity for all.” In fact, the Kafue River is not unique, as the Zambezi River supports an additional 250,000 people along the Barotse floodplains alone.

The WWF in Zambia explained in its 2017 report that pollution and overuse have threatened the ability of large cities to have adequate water. In fact, 47% of Zambians have no access to clean water due to these issues.

Environmental Disasters

Large environmental disasters have exacerbated this systemic issue. On February 18, 2025, a tailings dam holding back toxic waste from a copper mine broke down, allowing more than 50 million liters of acid waste into the Kafue River. Local resident Sean Cornelius told AP News that, “Prior to the February 18, this was a vibrant and alive river. Now everything is dead, it is like a totally dead river. Unbelievable. Overnight, this river died.” Due to Zambia’s heavy reliance on hydropower, it makes potential dam disasters all the more likely.

Stepping into this crisis is a coalition of climate investors, the WWF and local river communities to assist with Zambian river restoration. The Climate Investment Fund (CIF) has begun working with eight counties along the Zambezi River basin to help implement nature-based solutions.

Evans Kaseke, program manager for the Zambezi Strategic Plan, explained that, “The program aims to promote, protect and restore natural environments through landscape approaches by investing in agriculture, food production, forest and land use, and coastal system management.”

Climate Adaptation for Protected Areas (CAPA)

Additionally, the WWF has been helping communities along the Nsongwe River to help build smaller check dams through its Climate Adaptation for Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative. These dams help end erosion from overuse. Mervis Sibbuku, local resident, thanked WWF, “For years, we watched the river degrade. These check dams have given us hope, allowing us to see water flow evenly and greenery return along the banks.”

In partnership with WWF Zambia, the Nsongwe communities have started to remove silt and replant critical foliage, restoring parts of the river to both wildlife and community residents. Though much work needs to be done, international finance, NGOs and governmental aid can go a long way to empowering local impoverished communities to improve their environmental conditions. Zambian river restoration shows that critical funds and innovative practices can help undo environmental poverty.

– Joseph Laughon

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

Photo: Flickr