Working together to end poverty and injustice

80% of all illness in the world is caused by dirty drinking water.

Water for survival

One in five of the world's people lives without safe water, and two in five lack even basic sanitation.

Yet here in New Zealand, clean water is so plentiful and easily available that we simply take it for granted.

In the world's poorest countries, ill-health from drinking dirty water is one of the most serious threats to human life. In the next 24 hours, diseases caused by unclean water and inadequate sanitation will claim the lives of 5000 children. Most cases can be prevented or treated.

Oxfam Water Challenge

The 2011 Oxfam Water Challenge will take place from March 19 - 27, 2011 in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch. Find out what's planned. You will shortly be able to register.

The 2010 Oxfam Corporate Water Challenge took place on March 20 & 21, 2010 in Auckland and Tauranga. The event was a great success, raising over $28,000 for Oxfam's Water for Survival programmes, and raising awareness of water issues.

• Find out what happened and who won in 2010
• Team pages are still open if you wish to check out who took part in 2010.

Help bring safe water to East Timor

It should be as easy as turning on a tap.

Yet for Rosita and her community living in the Liquica District of East Timor, there’s a mountain and about 10,000 deadly parasites between her and a drink of clean water for her children.

You can do something. With your gift of $50 you can help bring safe water to those who so desperately need it.

• Donate online today or call toll-free on 0800 400 666
• How you can help bring safe water to Liquica District, East Timor

Where we work

The Water for Survival Programme has doubled in recent years. In particular, the programme in the Pacific and East Asia has been expanded as a part of Oxfam New Zealand's focus on poverty in our neighbourhood.

• Video clip: TV3 visit Vanuatu to find out how Oxfam is supporting safe water projects

Currently, Oxfam is supporting long-term projects in:

• Papua New Guinea
• Vanuatu
• Bougainville
• Tanzania
• East Timor

Sustainable solutions

• Often the solution to providing safe drinking water is not complicated – the engineering requires just some know-how, a few materials and a bit of hard work.
  

Water for Survival programme summaries You can download the programme summary PDFs for each of the countries and regions in which Water for Survival is operating. Bougainville East Timor Papua New Guinea Vanuatu Tanzania

Water for Survival Programme

In 2003, Water for Survival joined with Oxfam New Zealand to form the Oxfam Water for Survival Programme (OWfS). Since then, OWfS has partnered with local organisations throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific to support access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education programmes for people in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.