WASH: the four letters that save millions of lives

Sure, we’re the toilet paper company that helps build toilets, but our impact goes way beyond a loo.

Sanitation (a fancy way of saying ‘how we get rid of poo’) is an integral part of WASH, an acronym that stands for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. Each of these elements is essential in ensuring that communities protect themselves from disease and illness caused by contact with waste. When working together, clean water sources, toilets and proper hygiene can completely eliminate waterborne illness and disease. Pretty amazing for just a toilet and some good ol’ soap and water.

Water

It’s not hard to imagine why clean water is important. Whether it be for drinking, cooking or washing, clean water is crucial for our everyday lives. But for many, it’s extremely difficult to come by. The burden usually falls on women and girls to travel upwards of 30 minutes to collect water for their families. This journey can be tough, and sometimes dangerous. That’s why we fund organisations finding innovative ways to bring water closer to home – like SHOFCO and their impressive aerial pipes.

Sanitation

We know it’s weird to think of a toilet as a tool, but a loo is actually one of the most useful tools to keep waterways clean. Without them, waste finds its way to local rivers and back into people’s food. That’s how diseases like cholera are spread across communities. Not to mention, using a toilet just feels better than going outside. Access to a dignified place to do your business is a basic human right – that’s why we’re so obsessed with toilets.

Hygiene

It’s no secret that washing your hands helps stop the spread of disease. Just 30 seconds with soap and water makes an enormous difference. And is pretty easy, right? Well, without clean water, soap or proper hygiene education, it’s not that simple. One of our partner organisations, Lwala, trains WASH advocates to teach their communities about proper hygiene and builds local handwashing stations (stocked with soap). It may seem simple, but it’s incredibly impactful work.

Life after WASH

The positive effects of WASH programs last for generations. When people are sick from waterborne illness, it’s really hard to do all of the normal stuff like go to work or school. When everyone is healthy, kids can finish their education and adults are more likely to have thriving businesses. In fact, every dollar invested in water access and sanitation yields an average of $6.80 in returns.

That’s why we’re so thrilled to be making our most recent $5.85 million AUD donation to our charity partners that provide WASH services all around the world. Especially now, this work is more important than ever – it’s vital in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Our partners are working to increase access to clean water and soap, increase hygiene awareness, improve school hand washing facilities to support the return of children to schools, and improve the availability of clean and hygienic toilets for medical professionals and patients.