Water – it’s simple, it’s essential, and it’s something we can easily take for granted. We just turn on the tap, or flush, and there it is, but for millions of people around the world, it’s not that simple. 2.2 billion people — 1 in 4 — lack access to safe water at home and 3.5 billion — 2 in 5 people — lack access to a safe toilet. But Conscious Step partner Water.org is working to make safe, clean water accessible for communities that need it most because they know that access to safe water has the potential to improve health, empower women, enable access to education, increase family income, and change lives. 

There is a very real water crisis going on around the world today. More than 1 million people die each year from water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases and every 2 minutes, a child dies from a water-related disease. Women are often responsible for collecting water, which takes time away from work, school and caring for family and locks women in a cycle of poverty. Children are also often responsible for collecting water for their families, keeping them out of school and reducing their opportunities in life. All of these issues could be reduced with access to safe water and sanitation.

Water.org envisions a day when everyone, everywhere has access to safe water and sanitation. For more than 30 years, they have been offering safe, accessible, and cost-effective solutions to the water crisis that have empowered more than 70 million people with access to safe water. Their solution is called WaterCredit, and here’s how it works:

1. They identify a region where people need access to water and sanitation and that is ready for a microfinance solution.
2. They partner with carefully selected institutions to provide affordable financing for water and sanitation to families in need.
3. These partners establish water and sanitation loans in their portfolio of offerings. They support them by providing technical assistance, connections and resources to get them started.
4. People in need use these small, affordable loans to put a tap or toilet in their homes and access local resources to do the work.
5. Every repaid loan can be lent to another family in need of safe water or sanitation.

Since they were founded, 15.2 million loans for water and sanitation have been disbursed through WaterCredit amounting to $5.7 billion in loans for water and sanitation. So many lives have been saved, and changed, thanks to their work. 

Next time you pick up your water bottle for a much-needed hydration session, remember it’s a gift. You can give that gift to someone in need around the world with our collection that Provides Water, where each pair and candle provides four years of access to clean water through Water.org. What a refreshing thought!