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DUBLIN, Ireland, Mar. 23 /Standard Newswire/ -- "Coping with water scarcity" is the theme for World Water Day 2007, which is observed on March 22nd. Yet one third of the human population—mostly in the developing world—is now short of water, according to a new study by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). In fact, globally, one out of every six people--1.1 billion—has no access to safe drinking water.

Concern has improved access to clean, safe drinking water and sanitation for 1.24 million people by constructing and rehabilitating wells, offering community training on improved health and hygiene practices, and supporting community management of water resources. Our water and sanitation programs are a critical part of our strategy for alleviating poverty and hunger and improving human health in the world's poorest countries.

RESULTS OF WATER SCARCITY

Lack of Access to Safe Water. Every day, women and children in many developing countries spend hours walking to find water that is safe for their families to drink, yet very often the water that they find is contaminated. Unclean water causes millions of people--especially young children--to contract deadly diseases every year. The often six-hour journey to collect water leaves women and girls little, if any, time to go to school or earn an income, which, in turn, contributes to the cycle of poverty.

Absolute Shortage of Water.

Africa is a rural continent and agriculture is, by far, its most important economic sector and critical means of producing food. More than 70% of Africa's population is directly engaged in agriculture. However, according to UN-Water, an increasing number of regions suffer from chronic water shortages. Severe, frequent droughts and limited water resources have a drastic impact on a population's means of earning a living and producing food.

Lack of Access to Sanitation. It is estimated that unsafe water and lack of access to basic sanitation and hygiene contribute to the deaths of over 1.5 million children under five years old every year from causes such as diarrhea and pneumonia.

CONCERN'S RESPONSE

Here are examples of the impact of Concern's water and sanitation programs on the lives of people living in extreme poverty around the world.

• Darfur, Sudan. Concern operates sanitation and hygiene programs in camps for internally displaced people in Mornei, and in Kulbus and Seleia. Concern has distributed buckets, soap, and other basic hygiene items and has built latrines and organized community mobilization teams to go door-to-door in the camps to teach families about how to stay healthy. In West Darfur, Concern has provided clean water and sanitation to over 330,000 displaced people.

• Sierra Leone. In the Tonkolili district and Western area, Concern has constructed 40 community wells with hand pumps, built 750 community latrines, and trained village hygiene promoters known as "blue flag volunteers."

• Somalia. Working with a local partner, Concern has improved access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation for 8,690 families by reducing the prevalence of water-related diseases and improving hygiene and sanitation conditions, ultimately benefiting approximately 5,900 families.

• Tanzania. Concern's Mbuo Development Project in the Mtwara District of southern Tanzania aims to improve the hygiene, health, sanitation, and livelihoods of the community through a small-scale water supply network that serves 15,000 people in eight villages. By providing a clean, safe water supply and engaging a community water board to maintain it, the program is having a dramatic impact on people's lives in this area where water is precious.

• Uganda. In Amuria, Uganda, Concern has successfully improved the living conditions of 174,671 people displaced by conflict. Concern's water and sanitation project increased the amount of clean water available per person per day from 7.1 liters to 12 liters by constructing three water pumps with 30 taps, drilling 27 borehole wells, and installing hand pumps. In addition, Concern built 534 latrines, which improved sanitation coverage from 1 latrine per 125 people to 1 latrine per 18 people.