Watershed: empowering citizens

Water is a basic human right. As Mercy tells us in the video: “There is no reason why people should be excluded from clean and safe water, sanitation and hygiene”. But they are.

Watershed empowering citizens programme helps groups of people, working together – civil society organisations or CSOs – to  change that. So far, we’ve focused on reaching the most marginalised citizens in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mali, and Uganda.

We’re working to make sure that by 2030, each person in every community, has access to sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, and that their district government is improving and protecting the sources of their water.

Watershed started life in 2016. Now, five years later, the people involved have a story to tell and advice to share. They’re people like you in CSOs and NGOs, who are impatient for change.

They’ve found and raised their voices, by learning how things work, and what their rights are.

The world needs more people like them to take that first step and speak up. 

Voices for water: the power of human connection

In the end, it’s people talking to people that begins to create change. Honest, authentic, heartfelt, human connection.

In the #voicesforwater campaign we get a glimpse of these conversations. Each person shares their journey, a success and how they achieved it. And they call for you to join them: they did it, and so can you.

The campaign is also a call for NGOs, governments and funders to re-prioritise resources to empower and strengthen CSOs. To support more people to understand how WASH works, and how to have a say in the decisions that affect them by:

Raise your voice for water

  • Enjoy the videos
  • Read the stories of change, and follow the links for sources of inspiration, advice and support
  • Join us and share the campaign on social media under #VoicesForWater
  • Work with us to raise your voice for water: email [voicesforwater@ircwash.org] to let us know if you would like to know and learn more, or partner with us.