Saving Lives with Safe Water

Three years ago, we were fortunate enough to meet Frank Water founder Kate Alcott, who shared her reasons for establishing the charity and inspired to us to get involved. It was on a gap year staying with a family in Kashmir, that Kate fell victim to unsafe drinking water, resulting in a lengthy battle with dysentery. This fuelled her passion to bring safe drinking water to the family she lived with and other communities throughout India and Nepal, and Frank Water was born. In that time, Frank Water has successfully brought safe water to 400,000 men, women and children throughout India and Nepal and many of you, who have shopped with us during our campaign periods, have contributed to this success story.

The Frank team works closely with communities ensuring that they educate the villagers themselves to maintain and manage the new water systems. This includes helping them keep springs clear of livestock and excrement and general maintenance of bore holes and pipework. Frank Water has had a direct impact on the lives of many and in particular young girls, who previously were so burdened with the chore of collecting water that they had no time for school. The knock-on effects of installing safe water are far reaching.

There is no better example of the life changing result safe water can have than Mayas.

Maya’s Story

Maya Tamang lives in the Hills of Central Nepal. When her husband left, she took any manual work she could to keep her family and animals alive. She would walk up to an unprotected spring to collect water from an open spring, but grazing cattle contaminated the water and her children became sick. In 2015 her village was struck by the earthquake, and the entire area was destroyed including the limited water supply. Maya made a home in a corrugated shelter but with no income or water her families chances looked bleak. Maya found another spring but this was 3 hours away, collecting water in two jerricans which she attached by a strap across her forehead, Maya would carry up to 50 litres of water down a steep and rocky track. Even then there was never enough water. Frank Water was able to install a safe water source for Maya and her community, and she now walks ten minutes to a safe water tap. This has enabled her to not only care for her children but also her livestock. Maya now sells goats milk for a small income and her children are now able to attend school.

Sadly, there are still 600 million people across the world who still live without safe drinking water. A huge task lies ahead.

Find our more about FRANK Water and to make a donation visit Frank Water