Water and sanitation: what we do

There is a global crisis in water and sanitation, with diarrhoea killing at least 1,200,000 under-5s each year.

Plan works with communities to improve access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation and to raise awareness of the importance of hand washing and waste management.

In 2012, Plan supported 417,911 households to improve their sanitation facilities, and helped communities to build or refurbish 3,796 water points.

Billions of people lack access to basic sanitation and are forced to defecate out in the open, contaminating food and water supplies.

We educate communities about the importance of sanitation and encourage them to strive for a total ban on open defecation.