Life without water. A thought so unimaginable that when you realize communities lack access to clean, safe water for handwashing—even amid COVID-19—it makes you stop in your tracks.
How can this be? A resource so readily available to so many is still out of reach for nearly one-third of the world’s population. It’s a statistic that Water Mission and so many other organizations are dedicated to ending, including our new partner Azimuth World Foundation.
Water Mission’s Partnership with Azimuth World Foundation
In March, our team embarked on a mission to ensure people around the world have access to handwashing supplies amid COVID-19.
We recently completed the installation of 30 handwashing stations at 15 primary schools in Kasulu, Tanzania. This project, generously funded by the Azimuth World Foundation, is part of our team’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project is currently bringing safe water for handwashing to more than 20,000 students and teachers.
“Providing school children and teachers in Kasulu, Tanzania, access to safe water for handwashing amid COVID-19 has been incredibly important,” said Mariana Marques, executive director of Azimuth World Foundation. “When schools are equipped with soap and water, students and teachers have an opportunity to stay healthy and go on with their work and education. Access to safe water impacts their present and their future—it saves lives.”
Before the completion of this project in Kasulu, most of these schools had few or no hygiene resources. According to UN Water, handwashing with soap is key in slowing the spread of viruses such as COVID-19. It brings us great joy to know that 20,000 students and teachers now have the opportunity to stay safe and healthy amid this pandemic.
“While this project will have a direct impact on the overall health of students and teachers within schools, it will also help promote handwashing education in the extended Kasulu communities,” said David Gerlach, country director of Water Mission’s Tanzania program. “Students and teachers can take what they learn about hygiene at school and share it with their families.”
Azimuth World Foundation’s partnership and dedication to providing communities with access to clean, safe water is one we value greatly. We are thankful for partners like Azimuth that share in our mission to serve our brothers and sisters around the world by bringing them safe water.
It’s evident to us—and so many other organizations—that partnerships are the only way to bring safe water to all. Someday, we hope that all will come together to ensure all people have access to clean, safe water—one of life’s most basic necessities.