Water and sanitation go hand-in-hand with adequate housing
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (March 18, 2015) — The Chavez Vasquez family is one of the 53 Honduran families who have clean water in their homes, thanks to a water distribution project developed by Habitat for Humanity Honduras in alliance with Mexichem and the Santa Cruz de Yojoa municipality.
This project shows how the mission of ending poverty housing worldwide goes hand-in-hand with the goal of providing ready access to safe, drinkable water and effective sanitation and hygiene.
In World Water Day (March 22nd), 40 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean do not have access to improved water sources, meaning they get water from wells or springs, surface waters such as rivers or canals, or by carts, according to the Pan American Health Organization.
Water is essential to human health and, with the rapid growth of cities around the world, access to clean water and sanitation is needed now more than ever. Each year in developing countries, 2.2 million people, most of whom are children, die from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, insufficient sanitation, and poor hygiene.
Since 1990, through the work of like-minded organizations and governments, over 2 billion people have gained access to improved sources of drinking water, 116 countries have met the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for water, and more than half of the world’s population now enjoy a piped water connection in their homes.
While great strides have clearly been made, the 748 million people still lacking access to improved drinking water remind us that there is still much that remains to be done. According to the World Bank, the world could provide every person worldwide with safe water and sanitation at a cost of 107 billion a year over a five-year period.
Access to clean water and sanitation are an essential element of decent housing. Therefore, Habitat for Humanity develops projects throughout Latin America in conjunction with partners to enable more families to access this vital resource.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that safe and affordable housing provides a path out of poverty, since 1976 Habitat has helped more than 5 million people through home construction, rehabilitation and repairs and by increasing access to improved shelter through products and services. Habitat also advocates to improve access to decent and affordable shelter and offers a variety of housing support services that enable families with limited means to make needed improvements on their homes as their time and resources allow. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To learn more, donate or volunteer, habitatlatino.org