We are excited to be taking part again in the Big Give Christmas Challenge – the UK’s biggest match-funding campaign, where for one week only, all donations are doubled, meaning that every pound you give has twice the impact.

From midday on Tuesday 28 November to midday on Tuesday 5 December, donations made to Frank Water through our online Christmas Challenge page will be doubled.

Your support will help women establish themselves as climate action leaders.

We’re putting women at the heart of our appeal, raising funds to enable them to lead in addressing water scarcity and building climate resilience within their communities.  Through practical training, women will be empowered to lead planning, decision-making, and governance of safe water and sanitation services, to ensure access, suitability, and resilience of water services for all, for generations to come.

The Problem

Globally, 1 in 4 people don’t have access to safe drinking water. Women and girls are disproportionately affected, often carrying the burden of water collection, and without safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene, are more vulnerable to abuse and ill health, affecting their ability to study, work, and live in dignity. 

When water sources are depleted or polluted, men often migrate for work, increasing pressure on women to provide water at home. During periods of water scarcity, women are often the first to cut down on food and water consumption.

Our Solution

From 18 years of working with communities to achieve water security, Frank Water understands the importance of women participating in the design and implementation of water and sanitation solutions, so that services respond to their needs. 

Through training women and developing their knowledge of hydrology, nature-based solutions, and hygiene, our programmes inspire them to take leading roles within their communities to advocate for access to safe, sufficient water to meet household and livelihood needs and combat the effects of climate change.

Our Impact

Your donation will:

• Ensure long-term access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for all – through increased local knowledge of water systems, hydrology, and nature-based solutions, and the ability to develop water security plans to secure local government investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene.
• Uphold women’s rights to be involved in decision-making – through training and encouraging women to take up leadership positions within Water User Groups and building their confidence to actively participate in the design and implementation of local water and sanitation solutions.
• Help women and girls live better lives – as a result of increased access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services and greater community understanding of menstrual health. Documented benefits include improved physical and mental health, access to education or economic opportunities, and dignity.
• Reduce health risks for communities – through greater access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services and improved understanding of hygienic behaviours.

Where will your donations be directed?

At Frank Water, our mission is to alleviate global water poverty, focusing on those most in need. We therefore choose to work in countries like India and Nepal as they are two of the most “water-stressed” countries in the world.  A country facing “extreme water stress” means it is using at least 80% of its available supply, “high water stress” means it is withdrawing 40% of its supply.  Without intervention — such as investment in water infrastructure and better water governance — water stress will continue to get worse, particularly in places with rapidly growing populations and economies.

This year, we’ve set ourselves our greatest target yet – £50,000.  With your support, we can unlock £25,000 of match-funding and establish even more women as climate action leaders.

Thanks to our friends at Nkuku and Mahi for pledging their support so far.