Water doesn’t just keep us alive. It gives us everything that makes life worth living. Think about it. From the small things like making our morning coffee, to the big things like sustaining a healthy baby in the womb – water is a huge part of our lives. 

Water is life.

However, for 663 million people in the world, the only part water plays in their lives is one out of reach. Today, all over the world, millions of women and children will walk miles to find and collect water. In fact, they will spend 125 million hours collectively just trying to bring it within reach for their families.

Achieving access to safe water for all has been one of humanity's most intractable problems. Some of the reasons this problem persists include the high cost of infrastructure, complex governance, lack of proper operations & maintenance, unrealistically low water tariffs, poor water utility management, poorly targeted subsidies and misguided development assistance.

But Water.org believes safe water has the power to positively transforms lives, and that it should be within reach for everyone, everywhere. Stories like that of Anita demonstrate this is possible.

For decades, the water sector has approached household level water and sanitation access for the poor through raising money and disbursing it in the form of subsidies to cover the cost of wells and toilets. This charity-led approach is not sustainable or scalable at the level needed to confront the global water crisis. For a large segment of the population in need, it is unnecessary to rely upon charity dollars.

Water.org discovered that, of those earning as little as $1.25 per day, they can and do seek financing to help meet their own needs. Millions in this demographic have taken small business loans to purchase a sewing machine or livestock. These purchases help them generate income for their household. Yet, many of these people still lack access to safe water and sanitation at home. Water.org believes that for these people, they can bring water and sanitation within reach in the same way - by removing the financial roadblocks that stand between them and a water tap. Through Water.org’s WaterCredit program, 4 million people around the world now have safe water and toilets.

While Water.org has achieved great progress over the years, there is still much to be done. And, it is exciting to see this scalable financial model can pave the way to progress and opportunity. 

Water.org hopes you will help them spread this message.

What does @water give you?

Share what #watergives you by creating your own graphic at https://t.co/X11UrhAJDh! pic.twitter.com/dMrkEoQz15

— Water.org (@Water) March 21, 2016

In the spirit of World Water Day on March 22nd they invite you to join their efforts to celebrate the water within your reach by sharing what water gives you. Go to WaterDay.org to create a share graphic using your own photo. Then, post your image on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram telling others why water is so important to you. 

This article was written by Morée Scofield, photo of Anita contributed by Benjamin Heath and under copyright in support of Water.org.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of each of the partners of Global Citizen.