Report on NGO Contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charitable foundations play a critical role in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report analyzes the work of several water-focused charities, highlighting how their initiatives directly contribute to achieving SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and its interconnected goals, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Never Thirst Water: A Community-Centered Approach to WASH Programs

Operating since 2008, Never Thirst Water implements a community-centered model to provide clean water access. The organization’s work is deeply aligned with several SDGs.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): This goal is addressed through the implementation of diverse and sustainable solutions tailored to regional needs. These include household water filters, deep wells, and gravity-fed systems that provide clean water to entire communities.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The organization exemplifies this goal by working exclusively through local partners. This approach ensures that projects are culturally appropriate, build community support, and effectively reach marginalized populations.

Key Operational Strategies:

• Implementation of multi-year WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) programs for comprehensive regional impact.
• Selection of project sites based on need, geography, and active community participation.
• Utilization of a focused monthly giving program to create significant and sustained change in targeted areas.

GFA World: Supplying Wells and BioSand Filters

Since 1979, GFA World has been providing clean drinking water solutions to communities lacking safe water sources, directly contributing to key development targets.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The organization’s two primary methods—installing deep wells for villages and distributing BioSand water filters to individual families—directly advance the target of universal access to safe drinking water.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): By supplying disease-free water, GFA World mitigates health risks associated with contaminated surface water, reducing the incidence of waterborne illnesses.
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Providing accessible water sources helps achieve gender equality by liberating women and girls from the time-consuming and often arduous task of fetching water from distant locations.

Primary Intervention Methods:

1. Deep Wells: Installation of wells that provide a reliable and safe water supply for entire villages.
2. BioSand Water Filters: Distribution of household filters that purify water from polluted sources like ponds and lakes, making it safe for consumption and domestic use.

SE Asia Foundation: Supporting Grassroots Water and Empowerment Projects

Established in 2010, the SE Asia Foundation supports local grassroots organizations, with a strong focus on programs that empower women and improve community infrastructure.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): This is a core tenet of the foundation’s mission, as it vets and funds partner organizations with proven track records in supporting girls and women.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The foundation contributes to this goal by funding local water projects in both urban and rural settings.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Its operational model is built on partnership, providing financial resources to local organizations to enhance their long-term sustainability and impact.

Distinctive Funding Model:

• A 100% donation policy ensures all contributions directly fund field projects without deductions for administrative overhead.
• Funding is flexible, offering support for both one-time project needs and ongoing operational costs to build local capacity.

The Lifelong Water Project: A Multi-Faceted Approach to Water Access

The Lifelong Water Project is a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for delivering safe drinking water through a combination of immediate and long-term solutions.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The organization addresses this goal through a comprehensive strategy that includes portable filters for immediate needs and the development of permanent infrastructure like wells and pipe systems for long-term water security.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): By deploying filtration systems and building reliable water infrastructure, the project aims to significantly reduce waterborne diseases and improve the quality of life for communities.

Strategic Interventions:

1. Immediate Relief: Purchasing and distributing portable filtration systems for rapid response.
2. Sustainable Solutions: Installing commercial-grade filtration systems in areas with unreliable water sources.
3. Infrastructure Development: Drilling wells and installing pipe systems to create lasting and reliable water access.

Forward Aid: Integrating Water Initiatives with Humanitarian Support

Forward Aid is a nonprofit that provides holistic humanitarian support, with a primary focus on women and children in rural areas. Its work integrates health, education, and basic necessities.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): This is a central focus, addressed through the delivery of medical assistance and health outreach by volunteer professionals.
• SDG 4 (Quality Education): The organization supports this goal by running school programs and providing educational materials during its service trips.
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Efforts are specifically directed toward helping women and children, who are often most vulnerable to the impacts of poverty and lack of resources.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Water initiatives are included as a fundamental component of its humanitarian aid packages to improve overall living conditions.

Conclusion: Collective Impact on Sustainable Development

The work of these organizations demonstrates a collective commitment to achieving long-term, sustainable solutions in alignment with the SDGs. Their success is rooted in strategies that extend beyond simple infrastructure installation to include community empowerment and partnership.

Key Strategies for Sustainable Impact:

• Building durable infrastructure, such as wells and filtration systems, to ensure lasting access to clean water (SDG 6).
• Empowering local communities through training on equipment maintenance, fostering self-sufficiency (SDG 17).
• Partnering with local leaders to ensure projects are effective and culturally integrated (SDG 17).
• Combining engineering with community education on water safety and hygiene to maximize health benefits (SDG 3).

By integrating their efforts with health, education, and gender equality initiatives, these charities provide a holistic model for sustainable development, proving that access to clean water is a foundational step toward a healthier and more equitable world.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.3: End epidemics of water-borne diseases. The article explicitly states that the charities’ work aims to provide “disease-free water” and that filtration systems aim to “reduce waterborne illnesses.” GFA World’s wells are designed to supply “disease-free water to families,” directly contributing to this target.

2. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work. The article highlights that “women often walk hours daily to find water for their families.” By providing clean water sources close to homes, the charities reduce the burden of this unpaid domestic work, which disproportionately falls on women.
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities. The SE Asia Foundation is mentioned as working with organizations that “focus on education and women’s empowerment programs” and looking for partners with “proven track records in helping girls and women.” Forward Aid also focuses on helping “women and children in rural areas.”

3. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. This is the central theme of the article. All mentioned organizations, such as Never Thirst Water, GFA World, and The Lifelong Water Project, have a primary mission to “deliver safe drinking water to communities in need” by building wells, installing various filtration systems, and creating gravity-fed systems.
   • Target 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management. The article emphasizes a “community-centered approach.” Never Thirst Water “works with local partners” and “operates through partnerships with local community leaders.” The conclusion also notes that successful charities partner with local leaders and train “local people to maintain equipment,” ensuring community ownership and sustainability.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article is a showcase of civil society partnerships. It describes how non-profit organizations (Never Thirst Water, GFA World, SE Asia Foundation, etc.) collaborate with “local grassroots organizations” and “local community leaders” to achieve their goals. This model of international charities partnering with local entities is a direct example of this target in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 6.1 (Access to safe drinking water)

   • Implied Indicator: Number of water access solutions provided. The article details the types of solutions implemented, which can be counted to measure progress. This includes the number of “deep wells,” “BioSand water filters,” “household water filters,” “portable filtration systems,” and “gravity-fed systems” installed.
   • Implied Indicator: Number of communities or people served. The article mentions that wells provide “fresh water for entire villages” and that programs “serve entire geographical regions,” implying that progress is measured by the population or number of communities reached.

2. For Target 3.3 (End water-borne diseases)

   • Implied Indicator: Reduction in waterborne illnesses. The Lifelong Water Project’s work explicitly aims to “reduce waterborne illnesses,” suggesting that a decrease in the incidence of these diseases in the served communities is a key metric for success.

3. For Target 6.b (Community participation)

   • Implied Indicator: Number of local partnerships established. Never Thirst Water and SE Asia Foundation’s models are based on working with “local partners” and “local grassroots organizations.” The number of such partnerships is a direct measure of community engagement.
   • Implied Indicator: Number of local people trained. The conclusion mentions a key approach is “Training local people to maintain equipment,” which can be quantified to measure the strengthening of local capacity.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: harlemworldmagazine.com