UNICEF Partnership ensures access to clean water for those in need

Cotes, in partnership with UNICEF, is helping to enable fresh drinking water initiatives for those who need it most. Because Cotes adsorption dehumidifiers remove unwanted humidity from the air, we wanted to give that which we take. With the help of UNICEF, we give what we take from the air - water - by helping to provide fresh water to those who need it most in water-scarce communities across the world, through the "WASH" (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) initiative.

The consequences of unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) on children

The lack of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene is destructive to all aspects of a child’s life. Access to safe drinking water is an indispensable need and a fundamental human right. 

• Immediate health effects and mortality: encompass a range of illnesses, including diarrheal diseases, cholera, and typhoid, which pose significant threats to life.
  
  Children under five in conflict zones face a mortality risk over 20 times higher from diseases associated with unsafe WASH conditions compared to violence-related causes.
  
  
• Disrupts education: scarcity of clean water forces children to spend time collecting water instead of attending school.
• Affects livelihoods: limited access to clean drinking water reduces household income and opportunities for economic growth.
• Leads to migration, conflict and child labour: competition over diminished resources fuels conflicts, displaces communities, and prolongs cycles of vulnerability and instability. 

Ensuring clean water in schools in Afghanistan

In collaboration with partners, UNICEF has constructed latrines and handwashing facilities at Mawlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi School in Mazar-i-Sharīf, Balkh Province, Afghanistan. Additionally, UNICEF is educating girls and boys about the importance of personal hygiene.

The latrines and handwashing facilities run on solar power, a sustainable solution that ensures water is available for everyone. Unlike traditional handpumps, these solar-powered systems can store water and serve multiple purposes, benefiting more people and reducing waiting times. This means not only schools, but also healthcare facilities and entire communities, can have easy access to clean water.

"I'm so happy about now having clean water at school. I used to always get sick, but I don't anymore. Now I can study to be a doctor!", Mir Haq shares how clean water has drastically improved his experience at school. 

@UNICEF/UNI421396/Afghanistan/2023 (Mir Haq)

In a village in Nuristan province's Kantiwa Valley, children now have access to clean water from a new water tap, something they never had before. UNICEF recently finished building gravity flow water systems in Nuristan, which collect water from a spring into a reservoir and distribute it through pipes to taps in the village. These systems require no pumps or electricity and are designed to last for decades, providing a lifetime supply of water.

Only 16% of people in Nuristan province currently have access to clean drinking water. With support from USAID, these new water systems ensure that families have access to more than enough clean water - over 40 litres per person every day. It's a significant improvement for the community's health and well-being.

@UNICEF/UNI482445/Afghanistan/2023

Ensuring water security in refugee camps - Jordan

UNICEF has facilitated significant improvements in Za'atari refugee camp, by establishing a water and wastewater network. When families from Syria first arrived at the camp to seek shelter, it was hard to get clean water. They had to collect water from shared facilities using buckets and jerrycans. UNICEF contributed to building pipes that bring clean water directly into people's homes. With this infrastructure, families are now able to access clean water more conveniently, ensuring better health and hygiene for residents.

UNICEF’s Water Game Plan: Universal safe and sustainable water services for all by 2030 aims to ensure universal access to safe and sustainable water services. It emphasises targeting marginalised communities first and accelerating progress towards water service goals.

WE GIVE BACK THE WATER WE TAKE

#6 Clean water and sanitation