Water is essential for every aspect of human life. Our health and physical well-being depend on its purity and accessibility. We need water not only for drinking. It is necessary for preparing meals, for practicing good personal hygiene and for keeping our households clean. Limited access to water can affect our educational and career opportunities.

Particularly vulnerable are internally displaced persons (IDPs), who leave their homes in search of safe shelter. Very often they must stay at places with no access to clean water, sanitation, toilets and bathrooms. In such difficult conditions, clean water is essential to prevent the spreading of serious bacterial diseases.

It is necessary to ensure sanitary safety through the disposal of waste and rubbish, the distribution of dustbins and the creation of landfill sites. All this is essential to provide safe conditions for people living in camps.

WHAT DOES THE POLISH HUMANITARIAN ACTION DO?

We build wells and other water take-off points, as well as toilets and latrines. We distribute hygiene kits containing the most important products (not only for men but also for women). We rebuild school toilets so that children can have adequate conditions for their education and development.

An important aspect of our activities is lending support to the local communities: we provide training in the repair of wells and water analysis, we train hygiene educators who are subsequently engaged in promoting effective methods for practicing good personal hygiene and disease prevention among the local communities.

To provide access to water and ensure sanitary safety, among other things, we:

• supply safe drinking water (we build and repair wells and other water tanks, we deliver water with tanker lorries)
• build and renovate toilets and bathrooms (in schools and at IDP camps)
• help families keep their water supplies and households clean (sanitary training, hygiene kits, water purification tablets)
• maintain good sanitary conditions at camps (we remove waste and rubbish, we distribute dustbins)