Non Government and Non Profit

Serving the Developing World

Safe Drinking Water for Those Suffering

First Water is proud to support many NGOs and serve thousands of those in need throughout the world.  As an organization, First Water is driven to provide state of the art water purification equipment in areas where people suffer everyday with waterborne illnesses.  The ability to access safe drinking water shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be a right.  Unfortunately, according to the World Health Organization, over 1.1 billion people do not have access to suitable drinking water.  Please note the following incredible statistics from the United Nations:

  • Over 50% of all hospital beds worldwide are filled by patients with water borne illnesses
  • 6,000 children worldwide will die every day this year from diarrhea
  • 70% of all diseases in the world are caused by water borne contaminants
  • 3,500,000 people die each year from water-related illnesses/diseases
  • 43% of water-related deaths are due to diarrhea
  • 84% of water-related deaths are in children ages 0 – 14
  • 98% of water-related deaths occur in the developing world
  • <1% of the world’s fresh water (0.007%) is accessible for direct human use

First Water understands the value of partnering with NGOs to bring real change to the above.  NGOs provide the critical relationships with governments and in-country constituencies that enable them to operate and serve those in need.  Very importantly, NGOs also provide in-country personnel to help implement initiatives as well as maintain the systems.  Internationally, maintenance is a critical factor ensuring initiatives are sustaining … an important goal of any initiative utilizing First Water equipment.

NGOs are diverse in their size, geographical specialization, areas of focus, etc.  First Water has worked closely with many types of NGOs.  The following are but a few examples:

  • World Vision, a large international NGO has partnered with First Water in countries such as Bolivia and the Dominican republic, and has chosen the First Water Outpost™ as its key water purification supplier.
  • Hope for Haiti, a mid size NGO, has partnered with First Water in Haiti to help those suffering from annual flooding, relying on the Villager™ for community development.
  • World Water Relief, a smaller NGO working in Hispaniola, relies on the Villager™ to serve those suffering in sugar cane worker and refugee camps in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as well as the Responder™ in Uganda to support multiple seed churches in very remote regions.

First Water has also worked with other NGOs as well as dozens of faith based and humanitarian groups.  Providing solutions to specific geographic opportunities provided by NGOs is a key platform for the distribution of First Water equipment.