785 million people live without clean water. That’s nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide, or, twice the population of the United States without access to life’s most basic human need. The majority live in isolated rural areas and spend hours every day walking to collect water for their family. Not only does walking for water keep kids out of school and take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the water often carries diseases that make them sick.

When a community gets access to clean water, it can change just about everything. It can improve health, increase access to food, grow local economies, and help kids spend more time in school.

The water crisis is huge, but it is solvable. Charity: Water works with local experts and community members to find the best sustainable solution in each place where they work, whether it’s a well, a piped system, a BioSand Filter, or a system for harvesting rainwater.