WATER FIRST INTERNATIONAL

IN 2023, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED 467 PROJECTS SERVING 10,041 PEOPLE. EVERY PROJECT INCORPORATES ACCESS TO WATER AND TOILETS, HYGIENE EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AS OF DECEMBER 2023, THE WATER FIRST COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTED OVER $34 MILLION TO SUPPORT 4,819 PROJECTS SERVING 283,320 PEOPLE IN FIVE COUNTRIES. WE ESTIMATE THAT OVER 138 MILLION CUMULATIVE HOURS OF WATER-COLLECTION LABOR HAVE BEEN SAVED AS A RESULT OF WATER1ST PROJECTS. IN BANGLADESH, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED WORK IN THE NEW GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019. DURING 2023, 462 WATER SYSTEMS SERVING 8,499 PEOPLE IN URBAN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN DHAKA, CHATTOGRAM, AND KHULNA WERE CONSTRUCTED. THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE COST-EFFECTIVENESS BY LEVERAGING LOCAL RESOURCES. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS IN THE ORGANIZATION'S BANGLADESH PROGRAM PAY 100% OF THE CAPITAL COSTS OF THEIR PROJECTS THROUGH TWO-YEAR LOANS. THE LOANS ARE REPAID TO THE LOCAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION, WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF WATER FIRST'S GRANTS. REPAID LOAN FUNDS ARE REVOLVED AND USED FOR ADDITIONAL WATER AND SANITATION PROJECTS AND CREATE A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR WATER FIRST'S BANGLADESH PARTNER. IN HONDURAS, THE ORGANIZATION'S PROJECTS PROVIDE ACCESS TO PIPED WATER AND TOILETS AT EVERY HOUSEHOLD, COMMUNITY CENTER, SCHOOL AND CLINIC. FIVE PROJECTS SERVING 1,542 PEOPLE WERE COMPLETED IN 2023. FOUR NEW PROJECTS WERE INITIATED IN 2023. WORK CONTINUES ON 10 PROJECTS SERVING 4,614 THAT WERE INITIATED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND EXPERIENCED DELAYS IN CONSTRUCTION AND GOVERNMENT CO-FINANCING. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION CO-FINANCED A PROGRAM WITH THE MUNICIPALITY OF VALLADOLID TO INSTALL HOUSEHOLD WATER METERS AT 100% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN THE MUNICIPALITY, ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO MONITOR THEIR WATER USAGE AND QUICKLY IDENTIFY LEAKS, AN IMPORTANT CLIMATE CHANGE PREPAREDNESS INITIATIVE IN THIS DRY REGION OF THE COUNTRY. IN HONDURAS, PROJECT USERS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTE CASH, LABOR, AND LOCAL MATERIALS, WHICH ARE VALUED AT UP TO 25% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST. THE ORGANIZATION'S HONDURAS PARTNER HAS THE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR WATER SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION, EXPANSION, AND REPAIR ON A LOAN BASIS, FURTHER LEVERAGING LOCAL RESOURCES. THE ORGANIZATION'S NEWEST PARTNERS IN KENYA CONTINUED WORK ON 2 LARGE PROJECTS SERVING 248 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WILL BE THE FIRST OF THEIR KIND TO BRING PIPED WATER, SHOWERS, AND FLUSH TOILETS TO THE HOMES OF PEOPLE IN KOKELO AND EMUKOYE. BASED ON THE SUCCESS OF THESE TRAILBLAZING PROJECTS, THE ORGANIZATION WILL EXPAND TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.