World Water Day

Aminata, 14, collects water from an unsafe source. “I help fetch water in the dry season,” she says, “I don’t go to school.” Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk When communities don’t have access to clean water, the burden often falls to women and children who have to walk miles each day to collect water they know will make them ill. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk With no other options available, the dirty water must be used for washing, cooking and drinking. Every day, 4,000 children die as a result of diseases related to dirty water and poor sanitation. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk A woman fetches clean water from the new water points installed by WaterAid’s partner AMEPPE in Tienfala, Mali. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Tenincoura Coulibaly and Yacouba Doumbia outside the new toilet block at their school. Two-fifths of the world’s population have nowhere safe to go to the toilet and WaterAid works to ensure that communities like Tienfala have adequate sanitation. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Hand-washing with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrhoea by up to 47%. “I used to get stomach aches but now I wash my hands I don’t anymore,” says Tenincoura. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Access to safe water and sanitation transforms women’s lives. Their health improves, as do their health services. “Water is everything,” says Madame Madié Diarra, a midwife. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Clean water means precious time once spent fetching water can now be devoted to spending time with families. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Clean water means the freedom to earn money to be able to send children to school and buy food. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Adjaratou Konaté runs a sewing business. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk A meeting of the Touna Women’s Association. Involving women in water and sanitation projects can empower them within their community. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Providing safe water means children are healthy and can get an education, free from the burden of fetching water for their families. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Clean water means children have time to play. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk Girls enjoy the clean water from the new water points in Tianfala. At the current rate of progress, the Millennium Development Goal for safe water will not be met until 2035 in sub-Saharan Africa. With the first ever high-level meeting on water and sanitation taking place in Washington in April, WaterAid is working to ensure the need for both these basic human rights remains high on the agenda. Photograph: Layton Thompson/Water Aid Photograph: Layton Thompson/guardian.co.uk