---

20% of Malagasy children under the age of 5 die today as a direct result of diarrhoeal diseases. 

Only 11% of the rural population has access to clean water (compared to urban areas where this is 66%), and just 7.5% of the rural population have access to adequate sanitation.

Access to clean water is one of the most essential changes to a community in the process of development:

• People no longer have to to walk for miles to the nearest dirty stream to collect water

• The risk of serious disease is significantly reduced
• Women have more freedom, and greater security
• The simple act of washing one’s hands before eating becomes a possibility
• Communities spend less time collecting water, freeing up time for more productive work and education.

​Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
​
Launched in 2008, our WASH Campaign has 3 main objectives in order to significantly reduce the incidence of diarrheaol disease:

• Hand washing with soap (or soap substitute, such as ash)
• Hygienic latrines to reduce the incidence of open defecation (over 50% of the rural population lack access to hygenic latrines).​
• Portability of water from the source to the household. 

Since 2009:

• 300 boreholes have been installed providing clean water for 75,000 people​
• Water management committees have been set up at all sites
• Water-treatment products have been provided
• Filters have been supplied to reduce the risk of contracting diseases like Hepatitis A, Typhoid and severe bacterial diarrhoea
• Portable drinking water testing kits have been set up at every borehole
• Locally led workshops have assigned roles and established effective  management.​

How we drill boreholes:
Boreholes are drilled using a variety of techniques including Jetting and Rota-sludge. The video below shows the drilling process from start to finish.
​
As well as drilling and installing a borehole, it is also important to make a sanitary closure area around it so that animals cannot enter, and the borehole and water remain clean and undamaged.

---

​