WCC water project (Sierra Leone)

World Changing Centre (WCC) aims to deliver community improvement projects through it’s educational, healthcare and sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone. In hopes of building a better and self-sufficient future for the communities, WCC provides its services to children and young people..

 Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are critical interventions to improve the health of the population of Sierra Leone.

Evidence suggests that improved water sources reduce diarrhea morbidity by 21%; improved sanitation reduces diarrhea morbidity by 37.5%; and the simple act of washing hands at critical times can reduce the number of diarrhea cases by as much as 35%. Improvement of drinking-water quality, such as point-of-use disinfection, would lead to a 45% reduction of diarrhea episodes (CDC)

Access to WASH also affects whether girls attend school because girls are more likely to be responsible for collecting water for the family, and lack of sanitation in schools especially for menstruating girl’s means they are less likely to attend and remain in school.

Worldwide, millions of people are infected with neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), many of which are water and/or hygiene-related, such as Guinea Worm Disease, Buruli Ulcer, Trachoma, and Schistosomiasis. These diseases are most often found in places with unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, and insufficient hygiene practices; Hygiene refers to the conditions and practices that help maintain health and prevent spread of disease including handwashing, menstrual hygiene management and food hygiene. (CDC)

Access to sanitation is limited in Sierra Leone; 8% of rural and 24% of urban population have access to safely managed sanitation. The most recent data from the Demographic and Household Survey (DHS 2013) shows 66% of urban population use latrines, 7% open defecation. In rural areas only 36% use latrines, with 26% practicing open defecation, (amounting to more than 1 million people).