Thank you for subscribing to A Spring of Hope’s newsletter! Listed below are some of the statistics which continue to motivate us in our core mission – bringing fresh water, sanitation solutions, and improved nutrition through permaculture to the schools in impoverished rural South Africa.

Globally

More than 840,000 people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes.

Tropical Medicine and International Health. 19, no. 8 (2014): 894 – 905. Burden of disease from inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene in low- and middle-income settings: a retrospective analysis of data from 145 countries.

2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation

World Health Organization and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP). (2014).Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation, 2014 Update.

An estimated $260 billion is lost globally each year due to lack of adequate water supply and sanitation.

World Health Organization. (2012). Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage.

Women and children spend 140 million hours each day collecting water.

WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation. (2010). Progress on Sanitation and Drinking-Water, 2010 Update.

Access to adequate sanitation brings improved health outcomes, increased school attendance, and greater dignity and safety for women.

UN Women Commission on the Status of Women

In South Africa

1.4 million South African children live in homes that have no safe water supply

UNICEF SOUTH AFRICA Universal Periodic Review

2,402 schools in South Africa have no water supply

equaleducation.org.za

2,611 schools in South Africa have unreliable water supply

equaleducation.org.za

Women and girls represent at least 75% of water collectors

UN Commission on the Status of Women

8% of South Africa’s population are living with no access to sanitation

 Enviro Loo Policy Response Document

913 schools in South Africa have no sanitation facilities

equaleducation.org.za

11,450 schools are still using pit latrine toilets

equaleducation.org.za

Finding Solutions

A Spring of Hope’s core mission is to partner with rural South African schools to bring them clean water sources and sustainable economic development opportunities. To date, we have drilled wells at 27 schools in South Africa, with several more projects pending. In addition to drilling wells, we have also implemented a comprehensive permaculture program, in which all our partner schools participate. Leanette Sithole – the principal of Beretta Primary, our flagship school – administers the program, which teaches school staff to maximize the yield from their gardens and conserve the precious water supplied by their wells.

A number of challenges continue to present themselves. Sanitation remains a big issue. Many schools lack adequate toilets or kitchen facilities to prepare the food grown in their gardens. Our dedicated team is always searching for solutions. For instance, we are installing waterless toilets at some of the campuses and we maintain relationships with all our partner schools, allowing us to identify those which are struggling with garden cultivation or need repairs on their irrigation infrastructure and provide them the necessary ongoing support.

Help Us Bring Clean Water to Schools in South Africa

We are a small charity, but we are constantly seeking new ways to grow and extend our support community. We have developed partnerships with South African Airways, the Irie Foundation, and House of Mandalea, among others. One of the advantages to being a small charity is that we have very low overhead and all funds donated are directed towards projects.

Visit the schools page to see case studies of our partner schools and to see the current schools we are seeking to help.

Won’t you join us in our mission?
A gift as little as $5 can supply water to a child for a whole year!

Give now and help us continue this life-sustaining work. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Just click on the buttons below!