The Crisis
2.2 billion people in the world – more than one in four – don’t have safe water.
About WaterAid
WaterAid is an international non-profit with one goal: to change the world through water. Along with decent toilets and good hygiene, a reliable supply of clean water is essential for health, dignity and a life full of opportunity.
On the front cover: Anja with her son Dylan sitting outside their home and holding a glass of clean drinking water, Analamanga region, Madagascar.
Roughly half the world’s population currently live with a severe lack of water for at least part of the year.
Over a million women and newborn babies die each year from preventable infections linked to births in unclean places.
Credit: WaterAid/ Ernest Randriarimalala
This copy of Oasis was written and edited by Caity Hall. For feedback or article suggestions, please email info@wateraid.org.au
Stay informed at: wateraid.org.au Visit wateraid.org.au/subscribe to sign up for our regular e-newsletter WaterAidAustralia @wateraidaustralia /company/wateraidaustralia
WaterAid/ James Kiyimba
From our Chief Executive
As I read through this edition of Oasis, every page is powerful reminder of what is possible when we work together with our incredible supporters like you. From the remote highlands of Madagascar to a maternity ward in Tanzania, and across the islands of Papua New Guinea to the deserts of Colombia, it is only through the inspiring support of our WaterAid community that we are able to change the world through clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.
The impact of that support extends far beyond the inspiring snapshots you see in this magazine. And it is not only helping to change lives—it’s shaping a fairer, healthier, and brighter world.
Thank you,
Tom Muller
Globally, between 1 April 2024 - 31 March 2025, WaterAid directly reached:
Access to clean water
540,614
131,115 school students and 200,929 patients and staff in healthcare facilities
Improved hygiene
242,659
89,604
students and 167,464 patients and staff in healthcare facilities
sanitation
155,031 household and community members
90,634 school students and
146,805 patients and staff in healthcare facilities
24-year-old Anja from the central highlands of Madagascar is a mother, a schoolteacher, and a farmer. Her days are full and her time is precious. But before clean water came to her village, Anja had to make three trips to fetch water from a distant, dirty pond every single day.
In Anja’s village, most farmers take on extra work - usually manual labour - to help make ends meet. Typically, they work from 6am till 4pm, and until recently, would also have to fit water collection into their day. But things have changed.
“Before we had access to clean water in our village, we had to fetch water far away. It was tiring as we had to walk up and down hilly paths to get to the water source”.
Anja had to walk to the water source even when she was heavily pregnant, endangering herself and her unborn son.
“It was a very challenging activity to do while being pregnant. The path was slippery, so I had to be very careful as I was afraid to fall or something bad happened.”
Alongside the physical demands of farming, Anja also teaches at the local primary school. She feels immense pride in her job, helping her pupils to thrive and succeed.
“I just love being with children, that is what I most enjoy about being a teacher. Their presence gives me courage every day, they make me smile and I just enjoy transferring knowledge to them”.
Without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, children’s lives are needlessly and often tragically put at risk. Almost 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, that's more than 1,000 children a day. Many more are frequently ill, and often children are forced to spend hours out of school collecting water and compromising their education.
“Before we got running water at school, we used to send some of our older pupils to collect water. Then we had to ration what they got.”
With the help of generous supporters, WaterAid worked in collaboration with the community and a local partner to provide drinking water in Anja’s village and eight other surrounding villages. The impact has been huge – especially for children.
With clean water, Anja has high hopes for her son Dylan, and for her pupils, the future generation of her community. And now that Anja has clean water nearby, she can use the time she used to spend walking to collect water on making valuable memories with her son instead.
“What matters most in life is my kid and his future. I know that Dylan would have his own dream when he is older but as a mother, I have a dream for him, I would love to see him becoming a manager of a company”.
With clean water close to home, the children of Anja’s community have more time to study and to play, and they are in better health, giving them the chance to reach their full potential.
We no longer have to send kids to collect water as we have running water at school. They are now able to play and just be kids. They can focus on their studies and have more time to read books at our library.
Anja
Creating a Safe Space for New Life
Mothers, babies and healthcare staff are staying healthy thanks to clean water – and you.
Every two seconds, a mother gives birth in a healthcare facility without clean water. Maternity nurse Everlyne knows just what this means for women’s health.
In the past, her ward at Kharumwa Health Centre, Tanzania had no clean water or decent toilets, putting pregnant women, babies and healthcare staff at risk of infection during what should be the most precious moments of life.
“There were many diseases like diarrhoea, flu, incurable coughs,” she says. Nurses also had to walk long distances each day to collect water for their work.
“I was mentally exhausted, powerless,” Everlyne adds. “I was not caring for my patient as I should.”
But now, thanks to supporters like you, WaterAid has installed clean running water, flushing toilets and handwashing stations on Everlyne’s maternity ward.
“It is a joy,” she says.
When a woman gives birth, she has a shower, a laundry area, there is plenty of water… This reduces the chance of infection for us providers, and for her family when she returns home.
Now, with clean water on tap, Everlyne can wash her hands, clean her equipment, and keep her patient’s safe during these special – and vulnerable - first moments of life.
Bringing Climate Resilient Water to Tarawai Island
The remote community of Tarawai Island has long struggled to access clean water. The small island - located 68 kilometres off the north coast of Papua New Guinea - is only accessible by boat. This isolation, coupled with climate change, weather, and the island’s geology, has often led to severe water shortage for the community, especially in the dry season.
With the help of our supporters, we were able to work with the Tarawai community to build a new, climate-resilient water system and supply the community of 234 people with sustainable, safe drinking water.
Here’s how we did it:
1. We assessed the island’s water situation to decide on the best water solution for Tarawai’s context. A survey using Vertical Electrical Sounding equipment found an underground water source about 24 metres below the surface.
2. Large drilling machines couldn’t be brought to the island by boat, so we used a manual method to drill a 30-metre-deep borehole into the source.
3. A solar-powered pump was set up to bring water from the ground into a large, 9,000-litre tank raised on a four-metre stand.
4. Gravity then delivered the water to 16 tap stands placed around the community. The entire system is designed to withstand strong winds, storms, and even earthquakes.
The new system provides up to 2,000 litres of water every hour, providing the people of Tarawai with easy access to clean and safe water - day and night. It means they no longer need to rely on rainwater or unsafe wells. It has improved health, reduced conflict, and brought peace of mind to the whole community.
For years, water has been a burden for us. People fought over it during dry seasons. Now, water is available for everyone, and there is peace. I don’t have to settle arguments anymore. I’m at peace, and so are my people
Bonny Wihain,
the local councillor
Hygiene Heroes Leading the Change
In Colombia, young leaders like Juan are seizing the chance to make a lasting impact.
Juan lives in La Guajira, a desert region that’s home to the Wayúu, Colombia’s second largest indigenous group. Centuries of discrimination mean just 16% of the Wayúu have clean water.
For generations, the impact hit hard.
“Worry” is the word Juan uses, again and again, to describe their state of mind – worry about getting sick, about collecting water every day, and about finding the time to earn a living.
Thankfully, that’s all starting to change thanks to hygiene heroes like Juan.
Juan is part of a network of young water leaders who are getting the training they need to maintain and install water pumps, towers and filters. With a reliable supply of clean water, people here are turning a corner – on their own terms.
“Before, the community had to pay people to come and fix things that were wrong with the water system,” says Juan. But now he and others have
The good thing about the training I am receiving through WaterAid is now we can be more self-reliant.
Juan
learned to solve any issues, they no longer depend on outside help.
“Everyone is definitely a lot happier around us now that we have more time to do other things,” he says. Now, they can study, spend time with family, or earn extra income by selling traditional Wayúu crafts.
For Juan, the impact is immediate –and lasting: “Clean water is extremely important because our wellbeing depends on it, as does our physical health and even the future of the Wayúu.”
“To have the peace of mind that we actually have clean water is a blessing.” Juan, Colombia
Our Supporters
Two Wheels, 30 Countries: Angus’s Ride for Clean Water
We are so impressed by Angus, who recently set out to ride from Singapore to London on a push bike and raise funds for WaterAid while he does it.
On his journey, Angus is riding through Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and England, and flying in between where necessary – that’s 30 countries!
“As for Why I decided to do this trip, I read a book called ”Around the World by Bike” by Alistair Humphreys which showed how bike travel is the perfect way to emerge yourself in the cultures and countries you are travelling through. The ability to rely on those around you and travel at a pace where you don’t skip those hidden gems which you might otherwise miss entirely.
Angus recognised that his journey would take him through a lot of countries where access to clean water is a challenging, and he wanted to do something about it.
We can’t wait to hear more updates from Angus. In the meantime, you can support him at: https://fundraise.wateraid.org.au/ fundraiser/angusmason
Marlene's Marathon Effort!
A huge thank you and congratulations to our amazing supporter Marlene, who completed the Sydney Marathon in September and raised money for WaterAid throughout the process.
“I have been immensely privileged to enjoy runs along our many natural water bodies. I always think about a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation, and can enjoy the benefits of living in well managed catchments. I decided to try raising funds for WaterAid as they do so much good work around the world in providing clean water and sanitation, that in turn enhances health and wellbeing, equity, and economic participation in vulnerable communities.”
“The generosity of friends and colleagues honestly exceeded all my expectations. Fundraising isn't something that comes
It’s Time to Say Goodbye to your
Cheque Book
You may be aware that cheques are being phased out in Australia, with many banks no longer issuing new cheque books.
This change reflects a broader shift toward digital and electronic payments and we understand this transition may take some getting used to.
naturally to me, but I laid out what I was doing and why, then over 3-4 months, I made small announcements to my network - first via LinkedIn in the aftermath of the OzWater 2025 conference, then closer to race day, through my other social and running networks. It helped me to commit to the goal, but also showed me how many people out there were cheering me on”.
For those who have generously supported us through cheques for many years, we’re here to help make the change as smooth as possible. We have a range of alternative donation methods available to those supporters who currently use cheques. Please contact our Supporter Services team on 1300 858 022 or info@wateraid.org. au to discuss options with our team.
Mark
The Power of #TeamWater
Across August, WaterAid Australia was both thrilled and honoured to be the official charity partner of #TeamWater.
#TeamWater was a first-of-its-kind global campaign run by two of the world’s biggest YouTube creators – Jimmy Donaldson aka MrBeast and Mark Rober – with a mission to reach two million people worldwide with clean water. The campaign united content creators from 144 countries, including Australia, with a combined reach of more than two billion subscribers. Through videos, livestreams, and social posts, the campaign built a global movement around the water crisis and raised an unbelievable $40 million for clean water!
Reaching our $40 million goal means that millions of people will experience the life-changing impact of clean water for years to come, said Donaldson and Rober in a joint statement.
“Mark and I are blown away by what the creator community has accomplished— we could never have achieved this on our own. So thank you to the thousands of creators who helped make this possible. From $1 to $1 million, every donation made a difference in reaching this goal, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
Rober - who launched #TeamWater with MrBeast, seen here with fellow #TeamWater supporters.
Jimmy Donaldson aka MrBeast during a visit to Dyetse Village, Malawi where a new well point has been installed to provide clean water to the community.
As the global leader on water, WaterAid are now using our experience and expertise to turn those funds into life-saving clean water for two million people across five continents. Funds will provide solar-powered wells, gravityfed pipelines, and rainwater harvesting systems, ensuring communities have reliable clean water for generations. This will change daily life in hundreds of communities, allowing families to drink, cook, clean, and care for their loved ones with dignity and safety.
“This moment proves what’s possible when global generosity meets innovation,” said Tom Muller, CEO of WaterAid Australia. “Thanks to Jimmy, Mark, and the #TeamWater community, millions will soon have access to something most of us take for granted: clean water. That means more children in school instead of walking for water, more families staying healthy, and more women able to build their future - all made possible by reliable clean water
access, through the work of global content creators, donors, and everyday people looking to make a difference.”
We are extremely proud to be the partner of this ground breaking campaign, an achievement we celebrate together with our supporters. It is through their support that we have built our trusted reputation and impressive track record of high impact work. And now we have the opportunity to use that credibility to reach even more people globally through #TeamWater.
Reaching two million more people with clean water will represent great progress, but there is still much work to do. Right now, 2.2 billion people—a quarter of humanity—do not have safe drinking water. So while we celebrate this historic moment, we are more committed than ever to achieving a world where everyone, everywhere has access to safe and sustainable water.
Australian content creators sharing the #TeamWater message on social media.
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