Our Reality: Sanitation

Living without a toilet is a lot more common than you think! Around 2 billion people worldwide do not have consistent access to even basic sanitation facilities. Even those who do have access to toilets and latrines may live in an area where wastewater is not properly treated. Urban and rural areas alike are affected by this problem!

Without sanitation facilities, those affected will often go to the bathroom outdoors, relieving themselves in bodies of water or among vegetation. Open defecation can transmit diseases such as cholera, Hepatitis A, intestinal worms, and typhoid. For the very young and very old, diarrhoeal diseases can have devastating effects--over 400,000 people die every year from complications caused by diarrhoeal diseases. Water-borne diseases spread by poor sanitation can lead to observable higher numbers of malnutrition in children.

Not only that, but open defecation has serious effects on the environment, affecting those who obtain drinking and washing water from rivers and groundwater wells. The lack of safe toilet facilities can put children and women at especially high risk of exploitation and violence. Even in developed countries, open defecation among unhoused populations can affect health and quality of life. And the cultural practice of open defecation can make adopting the use of toilets challenging for many organisations working on this vital issue.

So how can this problem be fixed? Building toilets and installing plumbing are only part of the solution. One of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals is to bring clean water and sanitation to all. But how can we do this?

World Vision is looking for methods to help with tracking latrines and toilets in use in areas that are affected by sanitation access issues. Knowing the scope of the problem is key to ensuring we all have access to clean water and clean facilities - you can be a part of this solution today!

Enter the World Vision challenge today and help to make positive contributions to #OurReality!