Vision of a Healthy Village
Everyone participates in a healthy village - moms, dads, teachers, kids, church leaders. But how does it all fit together?
Local Government
Officials are committed to the program and provide support for ongoing maintenance of water sources.
Handwashing Device
A device made from locally available materials that uses a small amount of water, with soap or ash attached.
Latrine
A clean and dignifying place to go to the bathroom, made from local materials that every family can afford.
Drying Rack
A clean place high off the ground to dry and disinfect dishes in the sun, away from animals and garbage.
Safe Water Storage and Use
Households store and use their water safely in clean and covered containers. This may include boiling and filtering drinking water.
School Latrine
A safe and clean place for students and teachers to go to the bathroom. School latrines encourage attendance, especially for girls.
School Health Clubs
In addition to safe water and latrines, local schools have WASH clubs that encourage students to practice healthy behaviors.
Health Promoters
Community members trained by Lifewater national staff to share health messages at each household.
Water Committee
A group of local leaders that maintains and manages the new water source. The committee saves water user fees for repairs.
Water Source
We provide a community with a safe water source that is managed and maintained by a local water committee.
Church
We walk alongside the local church to bring physical and spiritual healing and well-being to remote, unengaged communities.
School Water Source
A safe water source at the school so students can be healthy and learn.
How to Explore
Hover over any of the blinking dots to learn more about the element.
Vision of a Healthy Village
Everyone participates in a healthy village - moms, dads, teachers, kids, church leaders. But how does it all fit together?
How It Works
Lifewater’s grassroots approach to solving the global water and sanitation crisis is called “Vision of a Healthy Village.” It operates from the belief that real, lasting change takes all of us—donors, local communities, and Lifewater staff—working in partnership with one another so that no one is left behind.
Watch this video or hover over any of the blinking dots above to learn more about each part of the process.
Selecting Regions
Leadership teams choose regions in low-income countries with extensive need for WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programs. These regions are also rural, unreached with the gospel, and eager to invest in their own change process.
District-Wide Planning and Engineering
Our Programs team organizes projects by districts for a 7-10 year period. Engineers assess the water problem in every village, taking into account factors like water coverage, geographical challenges, and key cultural norms, and they plan appropriate solutions.
Ministry Partners
Lifewater serves all families regardless of religion. In communities with a church presence, we partner with churches to serve the vulnerable. In places without a church presence, we partner with local ministries to share the good news of Jesus.
WASH Training
Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) training reveals current practices that are making people sick, opening communities to Lifewater’s WASH training, a set of habits (like hand washing) known to be critical to one’s health.
Healthy Homes
Field teams work house by house to help families adopt sanitation and hygiene practices like hand washing, using a drying rack, building a latrine of their own, and more. Once a home has mastered each healthy habit, they are a certified Healthy Home.
Community Contribution
Communities know the pride of ownership. Families adopt health practices, elect water committees, and contribute 10% of the cost of the water source either through monetary means, materials, or labor.
ODF Verification
When each household builds and uses their own functioning restroom, the local government verifies the community as Open Defecation Free (ODF), a major health milestone.
Safe Water Construction
Engineers and field teams construct a new water source or rehabilitate an existing source. Accounting for factors like water coverage, geographical challenges, and key cultural norms, they carry through with a specific plan of action to best serve local families.
Healthy Village Celebration
When 90% of families have a certified Healthy Home, ODF is achieved, and the new village water source is in place, the new Healthy Village hosts a party complete with speeches, dancing, and raising the Healthy Village flag!
Sustainability and Maintenance
With regular water quality testing and maintenance, we ensure that quality care is realized and promises of long-term transformation are kept.
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