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Water is the key to all life. Yet across the globe, a staggering 785 million people are going thirsty every day. Without safe and clean water to drink, these people risk dehydration, disease and worse: death.
“The best charity is giving water to drink and He was the most generous in giving charity.”
(Ahmad)
Every day communities across the globe are in need of safe sources of water for drinking, washing, cooking, rearing livestock and watering crops. Yet for these millions of people, this simple essential is out of reach.
Islamic Relief works in over 40 countries across the globe to ensure that not only do communities have a safe and reliable source of water for today, but for life too.
When we build a water system, we ensure communities have a sustainable source of clean water for years to come. We recognise the risk of drought, displacement and disease and we know that simply drilling wells and installing water pumps cannot solve the water crisis.
We bypass short-term interventions and high running costs to instead provide long-term sustainable solutions; installing irrigation systems, building water tanks, training communities, distributing hygiene kits and rehabilitating viable water systems.
Donate water charity now and help us to provide men, women and children clean and safe water, an essential we all take for granted.
Solar-powered boreholes offer a long-term solution to water scarcity and provide water to thousands of people. The water is pumped from the ground, using electricity generated from solar panels, making it a reliable clean and sustainable solution – even in the most remote areas.
The boreholes come with a water tank and an additional water distribution system. Islamic Relief also establishes water management committees. Ten people per borehole are trained in water infrastructure management to ensure that the community benefits as much as possible from the water source.
After the borehole is drilled and fully set-up, the local community have a safe supply of water for drinking and irrigation. This eradicates the risk of contracting water-borne disease and enhances food production.
Drip irrigation is a specialised type of micro-irrigation which allows water and nutrients to reach the roots of plants slowly and continuously. This provides a reliable source of water to local farmers.
Farmers are also trained with the skills they need to use and maintain this technology to ensure long-term sustainability.
The benefits of drip irrigation are vast: crop yields are normally double that of those yielded using tradition methods. Drip irrigation requires less labour, water and fertilisers and overall, these systems increase the productivity of crops, whilst reducing seasonal production costs for small holder farmers.
Micro dams are a great way to capture and store water for agricultural and domestic use. Islamic Relief has constructed micro dams in Mali which store rainwater, which can later be used by local farmers to irrigate their crops. This has helped to improve food production and livelihoods for local families.
The micro dams are also helping communities to combat the effects of climate change, aiding women to become increasingly engaged within their communities, and are providing jobs for young people.
Flash flooding can ruin water supplies and spread water-borne diseases such as cholera. In some areas that are prone to regular flooding, such as in Bangladesh, ensuring water sources are not polluted is very important.
In order to maintain a supply of clean, safe water for communities in need, we’ve installed flood-resistant hand pumps. These specialised pumps are installed five feet above ground level and the body of water is covered sufficiently to ensure flood water does not seep through.
These pumps typically each serve hundreds of families and ensure people do not need to take long journeys on a daily basis to collect clean water.
In many countries, rainfall is seasonal and communities experience heavy rains followed by long periods of no rainfall at all. Ensuring water is effectively captured during heavy rainfall is essential for ensuring survival during the long, dry months.
One effective remedy to the lack of water has been to build large water storage cellars that capture large quantities of rainwater during the rainy season, which is then used for drinking as well as for irrigation of crops.
The storage cellars are helping thousands of farmers gain access to clean water for their crops and their livestock in order to earn a living from which to feed their families.
During times of emergency, many families are forced to flee their homes and urgently need access to clean water. The most effective way to provide fresh clean water is through water trucks.
Water trucking sometimes continues for a longer period of time, until longer-term solutions are developed. It is an emergency response in almost all environments, as long as a reliable water source is available nearby.
This water is often a lifeline for vulnerable families.
Rainwater is a natural source which can be harvested and stored to provide an ongoing water source. Ensuring water is effectively captured during heavy rainfall is essential to ensuring survival during dry periods.
Islamic Relief provides families with the tools and knowledge to gather rainwater in their local area, which they can later use to help grow food. This way of catching and storing water is particularly useful for those living in hilly or mountainous regions and provides families with easy access to clean water.
Water ponds are designed to catch and store water, which can be used for cooking and for agricultural purposes such as watering crops.
Water-catchment has become increasing important to people living in areas affected by extremely hot weather and environmental shocks.