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By the Bucket - The Facts

One billion people lack access to clean drinking water. 2.5 billion people don’t have basic sanitary facilities. Especially vulnerable are Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America and India.

This scarcity results in illnesses such as Cholera, Malaria, worms, poisoning and diarrhoea. 1.8 million people die annually from diarrhoea; 90 percent are children under 5 years.

In addition, women walk for an average of 16 hours and 40 kilometres per week to fetch water. Children who are required to help often miss school.

Reasons for water scarcity: lack of fresh water sources, environmental pollution, inadequate financial and technical means.

Read more...

Streaming - The Videos

All or nothing: A film about Orissa's reality and the impact of the organisation Gram Vikas' work on the dignified quality of life in Indian villages.

Deep Water – The Experts

They are everything but still: Our experts share their experience from the field.

Hannelore Knott has worked in a rural well program in Cameroon. In her interview, she explains why it is sometimes so complicated to drill a simple hole in the earth. And what are the consequences from having a well. Read more...

Marina Meuss from the GtZ (Society for Technical Collaboration) says: “Theoretically, we shouldn’t have any problems.” We have asked her why water is continuously one of the biggest problems in the world. Read more...

The One-Man Show: Wolfgang Buchner wasn’t swayed from his calling, but travelled to Bolivia where he has developed simple and quite successful methods for drilling wells. Our portrait illustrates a man who just couldn’t keep his knowledge to himself. Read more...

Filtered – The Case Studies

The areas affected by water problems vary radically, as do their solutions.

Should aid be free? The Kenya Rural Water project illustrates that people won’t spend money for clean water, despite the costs to their children’s health. One reason: scientists and aid workers have heretofore paid too little attention to indigenous concepts of health. Read more...

Children enjoying themselves on a merry-go-round simultaneously pump water for their village—what a great idea! PlayPumps in Africa were supported by numerous investors with millions of dollars. But this fun-and-plumb vision turned out to be a pipe dream. A critique. Read more...

This problem stinks: Almost half the human population has little to no access to sanitary waste facilities. We outline which simple technologies are helping out and what new methods are worth noting. Read more...

Microcredits flow for water. Small-scale cash is slowly seeping into the drinking and sanitation sector. Read more...

The Barefoot College: Holistic approach since 1972 Read more...

FEATURED PROJECTS

  • Dry Toilets for the North of Namibia

    Dry Toilets for the North of Namibia
    Location: Otjiwarongo, Namibia

    600 dry Otji-toilets will be built in the settlements in the city Otjiwarongo and in other areas. This should curb the occurrence of infectious illnesses, one of the most serious dangers to human health. 75 Euros pays for one toilet.

  • More Cisterns for Potrero de Olla, Panama

    More Cisterns for Potrero de Olla, Panama
    Location: Potrero de Olla, Panama

    After a phase of successful building and knowledge transfer, and with only a little financial support, the village residents are now ready to build more of their own cisterns.

  • Clean Drinking Water for People in Mozambique

    Sauberes Trinkwasser für Menschen in Mosambik
    Location: Mosambik, Mozambique

    The first project of Viva con Agua Switzerland is to install wells in Mozambique for 40,000 people in 20-25 villages. We also want the people understand the coherence between water, hygiene and well-being. We need 33,000€ to finance the project.


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