Water Equality
We want to live in a world where proper water and sanitation facilities are available for all.
Water Equality
One billion people worldwide still do not have access to safe drinking water
Our progress so far...
People with improved access to safe water
People with improved sanitation facilities
People with improved WASH knowledge & skills
People with improved menstrual hygiene knowledge
What is WASH inequality?
A lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) due to characteristics such as age, gender, socio-economic background, ethnicity, or a combination of the above.
WASH inequality is often the root cause of other issues, including poor health and personal safety, and lack of education and employment opportunities. This creates a cycle in which individuals find themselves trapped.
- In rural Uganda households spend on average two hours per day fetching water - a burden usually carried by women and girls
- 35 million people don’t have a decent toilet. Diarrhoea alone kills 33 children every day
- Girls drop out of school at a rate of 22% when they reach menstrual age.
- This has devastating effects on wellbeing, education and livelihoods.
Our Projects
Equal Aqua works with communities in Uganda to tackle inequalities in access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Equal Water
EAU brings clean water directly to schools, so that no child needs to make the dangerous journey to collect water.
We build rainwater harvesting tanks and provide water filters to ensure equal access to safe water.
Our WASH facilities are constructed sustainably using low-carbon ISSBs (or ‘earth blocks’) to reduce our carbon impact.
Equal Sanitation
It is unacceptable that young people lack access to proper sanitation, having to resort to open defecation.
We build drainable Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines that provide a safe, sustainable sanitation for all, including people with disabilities.
This has transformative outcomes for children’s health and education for years to come.
Equal Hygiene
No girl should drop out of school due to lack of menstrual hygiene facilities, knowledge or skills.
EAU runs menstrual hygiene training to increase knowledge and break down societal taboos, keeping girls in school longer.
We teach practical WASH skills, including making soap, shampoo and reusable sanitary pads, as well as WASH business skills to improve livelihoods.
About us
Equal Aqua was established in 2020 to realise a shared vision of WASH equality. We are run by a group of passionate volunteers from Uganda, the UK and over 10 countries globally.
Our projects are driven by grassroots needs, as identified by the Ugandan Team, who design and deliver the solutions.
99% of funds raised go directly to our projects in Uganda, where we have near-zero administrative costs.
Equal Aqua can therefore offer more culturally sensitive, better value for money than most other NGOs.
About us
Equal Aqua was established in 2020 to realise a shared vision of WASH equality. We are run by a group of passionate volunteers from Uganda, the UK and over 10 countries globally.
Our projects are driven by grassroots needs, as identified by the Ugandan Team, who design and deliver the solutions.
99% of funds raised go directly to our projects in Uganda, where we have near-zero administrative costs.
Equal Aqua can therefore offer more culturally sensitive, better value for money than most other NGOs.
What makes us unique?
Equal Aqua specialises in working with the most vulnerable and marginalised groups.
We are the leading WASH provider for schools for children with disabilities in Uganda, and a leading authority on WASH for displaced peoples (refugees).
We have also delivered projects in Kenya and can provide consultancy services internationally.
Leaders in Sustainable Construction
We are global specialists in low-carbon, sustainable WASH. Our expert team uses Interlocking Stablised Soil Blocks (ISSBs), or “Earth Bricks” to build our latrines and water tanks.
This reduces our carbon impact by 70% compared to traditional methods, mitigating climate change.
What did Equal Aqua Uganda achieve in 2024?
Meet Geoffrey
Eleven-year-old Geoffrey lives in Bunambutye Resettlement Camp, which houses people displaced by climate-related disasters (landslides and flooding).
Like his classmates, Geoffrey needed to walk for over two hours per day to collect water for his school and family. This walk exposes him to heat stress, safety concerns, and impacts his education.
Recognising Geoffrey’s struggle, Equal Aqua has provided clean water facilities for his school and family home so he doesn’t need to make this dangerous journey every day.
Please sponsor a child like Geoffrey so that access to water is shared by all, transforming health and education outcomes.
Meet Mary
As a young woman in Uganda, Mary faces severe gender inequalities. She observes many of her classmates dropping out of school when reaching menstrual age.
After completing Equal Aqua’s Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) curriculum, Mary has the knowledge and skills to help manage her menstrual health, and her school and community are comfortable talking about the subject.
This will allow Mary to stay in school and receive a proper education, and share the knowledge with her peers. She has even started selling reusable sanitary pads to build a livelihood.
How you can help
Just one campaign, whether for your birthday, a special event or a personal challenge, can transform lives.
Download our Personal Fundraiser Guide and contact us for help to run your campaign
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