Supplying Fresh Water Project in Bangladesh

Three of the world's most powerful rivers pass through Bangladesh. Much of the land is close to sea level, so people living in particularly low-lying coastal areas are hit the hardest. Most often this affects the poorest communities who have no choice but to live in these fragile areas. When floods hit, water sources can get contaminated with dirty sea water making it unusable and people lose their crops and therefore their food and income. With your support, we can ensure communities have access to clean water even when it floods.

The contamination of many water sources in the village and surrounding areas, means a long journey to safe drinkable water; villagers often have to turn to contaminated water as a water source. The water is used as a drinking source as well as for cooking, leading to many water-borne infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, and jaundice.

The people in the community therefore express their distress in the saying “Water, water everywhere, nor a drop to drink”. Oxfam sought to intervene.