‘Water Means Life’ WaterAid winter appeal

Between November 2022 and February 2023 our impact partner WaterAidran a winter appeal ‘Water Means Life’ focussing on health workers in Mozambique. Nurses, cleaners and doctors in Mozambique go above and beyond to treat their patients, but it’s not enough when dirty water is the only choice they have.

The appeal supported five health care centres and surrounding communities in Cuamba, Mozambique. 

WaterAid & Belu

WaterAid and Belu have been partners since 2011. In that time we have invested all of our net profits – totalling over £5.2 million – into their work. In doing so, we have transformed the lives of over 330,000 people around the world, creating a ripple effect of positive change that will last for generations to come.

By buying or stocking Belu you are helping a social enterprise give over £100,000 per year to WaterAid, support a circular economy and prove that business can be used for good, in order to ensure everyone everywhere has access to clean water, decent toilets and can practice good hygiene.

What’s happening in Mozambique?

To give a snapshot of the situation on the ground, there are 16 healthcare facilities in Cuamba’s rural areas – 13 of them have no clean, piped water, making healthcare services unsafe for both patients and staff.

47% of people in Cuamba’s rural areas have no safe water and 75% have no decent toilets.

Currently infections associated with unclean births account for 26% of newborn deaths and 11% of maternal mortality each year – together accounting for more than 1 million deaths annually.

A basic human need

British Paralympic swimmer and Strictly come Dancing star Ellie Simmonds OBE is a WaterAid ambassador.

“It is unthinkable that nearly half the global population, or 3.85 billion people, have to use or work in a healthcare centre without basic hygiene facilities. People are dying when they are seeking or delivering care simply because they do not have access to clean water to wash their hands. It is a basic human need; we all need water to survive which is why I’m proud to support WaterAid and their Water Means Life appeal.” 

This winter WaterAid aims to raise £2.5 million. Funds raised will bring water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities to healthcare centres in Mozambique and across the world.

Mecanhelas Hospital’s maternity ward

Nilza Domingos, a maternal and child health nurse in Mecanhelas, northern Mozambique, talks about the importance of getting water in her clinic;

“Water is important for everybody, but it is vital for the Maternity ward. Delivery work requires water, hygiene, and cleanliness. We also use water to make tea for women in labour. Having water on site has improved the cleaning of the Maternity ward, and women’s hygiene a lot, as water is important for cleaning women after delivery. Pregnant women during the early part of labour and afterwards use the toilets and wash themselves. For the nurses, we also wash our hands prior and after delivery. To me water is life. Without water there is no life.”

Help today

WaterAid’s appeal will enable the organisation to carry out similar life-saving work in Mozambique and globally.

Find out more and donate at: https://www.wateraid.org/uk/water-means-life