WaterAid and Microsoft Corporation announced the launch of two new programs to deliver sustainable, climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services to communities in India and Nigeria.
In India, a groundwater recharge program will serve more than 60,000 people and address water scarcity in the urban Hyderabad and rural Karnataka areas. These communities source 80% of their drinking water from the ground, but the growing intensity of rainfall and monsoons combined with groundwater overuse by the agricultural and industrial sectors has created the need to harvest rainwater and ensure the availability of sustainable groundwater while adapting to climate change. During the three-year program, rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge will conserve and recycle more than 235M gallons of water, which contributes to increased groundwater levels and water security for future generations.
In Nigeria, the collaboration will reach more than 21,000 people over three years in rural and suburban communities in Lagos, where only 36% of schools and 29% of healthcare facilities have basic water, sanitation and hygiene services. Climate shocks including heat waves and flooding have further depleted the water supply and damaged water infrastructure. Behavior change campaigns, government partnerships and community participation will also be essential to maximize the benefits of improved access to clean water, decent toilets and handwashing with soap.
WaterAid and Microsoft Corporation announced the launch of two new programs to deliver sustainable, climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services to communities in India and Nigeria
Globally 2.2 billion people don’t have safe water, 3.5 billion don’t have a decent toilet, and 2 billion lack soap and water to wash their hands at home. The consequences of increasingly extreme and unpredictable weather patterns are felt largely through water—flooding and droughts create either too much or not enough. With support from Microsoft, WaterAid is addressing these issues locally by building sustainable and climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene systems in communities in India and Nigeria that will last for years to come.
This collaboration between Microsoft and WaterAid comes as companies increasingly see the benefits of investing in water and toilets to drive health, wealth and prosperity. “Boosting Business,” first-of-its-kind research released by WaterAid, proves the positive impact of water, sanitation and hygiene investment in a community. Productivity, punctuality, health, morale and loyalty all improve; absenteeism and staff turnover decrease - ultimately improving profit.
