Water 1st International's Mission

Water 1st’s mission is to serve families in the poorest communities in the world as they implement community-managed projects that integrate water supply, sanitation, and health education.

We envision a world free of extreme poverty. Providing people with safe water systems, latrines, and hygiene education is the 1st step to ending the cycle of poverty and death.

Why Water 1st?

The lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitary latrines is the top public health problem in the world and the number-one killer of children in the world. Lack of access to clean water has a devastating effect on women and girls who are traditionally responsible for water collection.

Water 1st wants to unite people to fight this worldwide, silent catastrophe. We believe the global water crisis will be solved when we build a community of concerned individuals and motivate and mobilize them to take simple, effective actions.

People living in extreme poverty have many needs, but we believe water comes 1st. Water projects are the foundation on which strong communities are built. Through provision of sustainable water, sanitation, and health projects, our goal is to address the most fundamental issues of childhood death, poverty and gender equality.

Water 1st – Faces, Facts, Figures, Forms

• Water 1st – Board of Directors
• Water 1st – Advisory Council
• Water 1st – Staff
• Water 1st – Annual Report (2008)
• Financial Audit Results (2008)
• Water 1st – Annual Report (2007)
• Water 1st – Form 990 (2007)
• Water 1st – Financial Audit (2007)

The Water Crisis

One out of every five people on earth does not have clean water–the most basic ingredient needed to sustain life. Two out of every five people do not have access to basic sanitation. The resulting illnesses caused by lack of these basic necessities causes the deaths of over 5 million people each year. The most outrageous consequence is that the majority of deaths are of children under five. More.

Our Response – Integrated Projects

Water 1st was organized to support the implementation of well-designed, community-implemented, and community-managed sustainable water supply and sanitation projects through our local partner organizations. We believe that water and sanitation projects are essential for the health and dignity of poor people. According to the World Health Organization, “no single type of intervention has greater overall impact upon national development and public health than does the provision of safe drinking water and proper disposal of human excreta.” More.

Sustainable Projects

We have a proven track record in the field. Our board and staff have over two decades of experience overseeing the implementation of sustainable water, sanitation and health projects.

Water 1st provides grants to non-governmental organizations based in developing countries in order to support the implementation of projects that include the provision of drinking water, hygiene education, and sanitary latrines. Projects are implemented in communities where people are living below the poverty line, and cannot afford to build their own water supply and sanitation systems or connect to any existing public or private water supply and sanitation systems. More.

Local Partner Organizations

Water 1st grants allow our locally-based partner organizations to purchase materials and pay for the skilled labor needed to construct water supply and sanitation systems in order to meet these basic infrastructure needs of communities. Funds provided by Water 1st are also used to support educational programs that teach communities how to operate and maintain their new water supply and sanitation systems and how to best use these new systems to improve the health status of the community. More.