Water For People Reports a Good Year

Water For People, based in Denver, Colo., said it had a record year in 2007, significantly increasing impact in the developing world. The international development organization supported 188 communities, directly benefiting more than 108,000 people with access to safe water and improved sanitation. Thousands more received hygiene education that will ensure improved health for years to come.

Water For People 2007 Beneficiaries

Country

Water

Sanitation

Total Number of Beneficiaries

Bolivia

6,741

840

7,581

Guatemala

2,916

2,821

5,737

Honduras

5,138

3,876

9,014

India

41,429

22,788

64,217

Malawi

9,250

11,538

20,788

Nicaragua

143

675

818

Ecuador

300

0

300

TOTAL

65,917

42,538

108,455

Year-end beneficiary reports from each of the organization's seven active country programs showed dramatic growth in the number of people and communities served over the course of the year. The organization is on target to meet the goals set forth in its five-year strategic plan (2007-2011) to reach 1,000 new people per day by 2011.

According to Ned Breslin, director of International Programs at Water For People, much of the growth can be attributed to a strategic regional focus recently adopted in each program country. "Water For People is targeting county-sized regional areas in each country with the goal of 100 percent water and sanitation coverage within each region," he said. "As a result, we have become much more efficient and have been able to dramatically increase our impact."

The organization successfully launched programs in Ecuador and Nicaragua in 2007 and will begin work in Rwanda and the Dominican Republic in 2008. Work in Uganda is scheduled to launch in 2009.

The growth in services was matched by an equally impressive increase in donor support in 2007. Revenues (unaudited) exceeded $5.2 million against a budget of $5.1 million, representing more than a 20 percent increase over 2006.

Communities Served by Year
Year

Communities Served

2007

188

2006

75

2005

78

2004

56

2003

51





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