Category: Water, sanitation & hygiene

In Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, almost two million people live in informal settlements or ‘slums’. Water and sanitation facilities are completely inadequate, disease rates are high and poverty is rife. Amy Christian travelled to the Mukuru slum in Kenya and discovered how one innovative toilet is saving lives and changing them for the better. Read more »

1.5 million children die as a result of poor hygiene, poor sanitation and unsafe water each year (UN 2013). Thanks to Oxfam supporters, Oxfam is a world leader in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Dr Helen Szoke, Chief Executive of Oxfam Australia, visited WASH projects in South Africa last year. She found out first-hand how your support has the capacity to change lives for good. Read more »

With your support, our six year program in Phoupieng Village, Laos, helped the community lift itself out of poverty. As we celebrate 25 years of work in Laos, we trace Phoupieng’s journey of lasting change. Read more »

Dirty water can cripple a community. Waterborne diseases mean children will miss school, and collecting clean water would take hours from a school day, every day. But now, with easy access to clean water, students at Dingizwe Hight School have more time for education. Read more »

What is a “tippy tap”? Well, as you can see in this video, it’s an ingenious device that Oxfam use all over the world to promote hand-washing and good health and hygiene. It’s a simple construction of three sticks holding up a jerry can. A piece of string and a fourth stick make a foot […] Read more »

Kids can really surprise you. Like when they do something you thought was impossible. When visiting our projects in South Africa recently, we found that a little girl named Yolanda who saved her entire family from disease — using just four sticks and a plastic container. Read more »

Thanks to supporters just like you, Sineth now has the opportunity of planting and maintaining her own vegetable garden. This means fresh, healthy food for her and her children. Read more »

Khvan Ry and his wife Van Sineth from Kratie province in Cambodia have asked that we pass on their thanks for what supporters like you have helped to achieve through programs to bring clean water and sanitation to people like them. Read more »