Clean water: a vital challenge at the heart of Sanabil's work

Water is the source of all life. Yet for billions of people it is either scarce or a danger to their health. Behind the simple act of turning on a tap lies a global reality we can no longer ignore.

Blue gold in figures

The figures are far more than statistics: they represent human lives.

• 2.2 billion people (1 in 3 worldwide) still have no access to safely managed drinking water.
• Only 3% of the water on Earth is fresh, and less than 1% is actually accessible, the rest being locked in glaciers or deep underground.
• 800 to 1,000 children under 5 die every day from diarrhoeal diseases linked to contaminated water.
• 200 million hours: the time women and girls spend every day, together, fetching water, at the expense of school and work.

More than thirst: a vicious circle

Lack of clean water does not only cause dehydration. It is an obstacle to dignity and prosperity:

1. Health: without clean water, clinics cannot guarantee basic hygiene.
2. Education: a child who is sick, or who spends the morning carrying jerrycans, does not go to school.
3. Economy: a community in poor health can neither produce nor develop.

Why act now

Climate change and rapid urbanisation are increasing water stress. Without a change of course, water scarcity could displace up to 700 million people by 2030. Access to water is a fundamental right, and for us a duty of solidarity.

Sanabil's commitment

At Sanabil, we believe water is the starting point of every transformation. We build wells in Bangladesh, India and Niger, where the need is greatest. Each well bears the name of the person who ordered it, or of a loved one, and you receive its video on WhatsApp. Every well dug is a promise for the future: a school that fills up, health that is preserved.