Gospel for Asia

Over 11 million people live in Rwanda; however, most Rwandans do not have access to clean water due to drought and poverty. 1 Only 57% of Rwandans have easy access to clean water; only 5% of Rwandan households have hand-washing facilities with soap. 2 Access to clean water in Rwanda is a significant problem. 3 How does clean water benefit families? Here are some examples: Health — Drinking clean water and using sanitized and safe water for everyday tasks reduces exposure to harmful diseases and pollutants that cause persistent health issues and sickness. Clean water improves families’ quality of life. Productivity — Perpetual health issues like headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fevers and other health issues prevent adults from being productive at work or regularly going to their jobs. Rwanda is a largely impoverished country; 3 work is vital to the survival of individuals and their families. Missing hours, days or weeks of work can be economically devastating to a family exper...

For decades, GFA World has provided practical help to communities through child sponsorship, vocational skills training classes, clean water initiatives and more. In 2021, GFA World expanded its ministries to Africa, beginning with Rwanda. GFA World is developing water projects in Rwanda, and we do this through national missionaries. GFA missionaries GFA missionaries connect with families, churches and communities in Africa to offer encouragement and resources. As they spend time in the villages, these GFA missionaries work with community leaders to assess communal needs and provide life-changing resources, including water resources like Jesus Wells and BioSand filters, for the people. GFA missionaries understand the culture and needs of their communities since they are from these regions themselves. Jesus Wells Jesus Wells are an efficient, sustainable and reliable source of clean water for large communities. Jesus Wells provide clean water to meet communities’ physical needs and prov...

Water is essential to human life; however, millions of people worldwide do not have clean, accessible water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and other routine tasks. 1 Clean water is essential, but it can be a luxury for millions of people experiencing poverty. Water stress is critical throughout Africa. Water projects in Africa can offer life-saving interventions for individuals, families and entire communities. Water is a crucial and rare resource throughout this continent due to limited water sources, extreme heat and drought, limited water infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Insufficient water sources Drought — Africa’s proximity to the equator produces extreme heat and dry climates; Many countries in Africa experiences less than 1,000 millimeters of rain annually. 2 Minimal rainfall creates severe drought that causes the soil to turn to dirt and dust that is inhospitable for growing crops. Surface water in ponds, lakes and rivers dry up, causing livestock to die from ...

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes how many people lack access to clean water. According to WHO, 663 million people worldwide do not have safe and accessible drinking water, meaning that unclean water regularly exposes 8% of the world to disease, dehydration and even death due to their water source. 1 Polluted water may have chemicals such as lead, arsenic or excessive levels of fluoride or dangerous microorganisms like rotavirus, cholera, dysentery or human waste. Water pollutants can cause health complications, illness or even death. According to WHO, a staggering “829,000 people die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking-water, sanitation, and hand hygiene.” 1 Ragnar, a low-wage laborer in South Asia, is a husband and father to four children. 2 Ragnar worked hard to provide for his family, but his village struggled with water stress. The closest water source was a well half a mile from the village. Collecting water was time-consuming and difficult because vi...

Water stress indicates that the demand for safe and accessible water exceeds the supply. 1 Drought, reduced rainfall and water overuse all contribute to water stress. Some regions are prone to drought and water shortages for ecological reasons; others have dense, urban populations that strain existing water sources and systems. The highest water stressed countries include countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) such as Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. 2 According to experts, countries in MENA experience higher levels of water crisis because it is a hot, arid climate with very minimal rainfall. MENA countries are also densely populated and require more water than other countries. 1 Even high-income, developed regions like Northern America and Europe experience water limitations that stress their natural resources. Numerous countries worldwide are overusing their water supply annually and will feel the e...

What is water stress? Water stress indicates that the demand for safe and accessible water exceeds the supply. 1 Factors like increasing population, urbanization and agriculture strongly affect the strain on water sources. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 663 million people worldwide do not have safe and accessible drinking water, meaning that unclean water regularly exposes 8% of the world to disease, dehydration and even death due to their water source. 1 The WHO also estimates that by 2025, over 50% of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas. 2 This issue of water overuse is not new; it is also not going away. These water crisis statistics are concerning, so groups such as WHO, the United Nations and more research this issue and provide water-usage guidelines. In some cities, the water supply is so limited that they are at risk of running out of water. Over the last two decades, Cape Town, South Africa, has experienced an extreme water crisis. T...

Water is an essential, life-giving resource; however, millions of people do not have accessible, clean drinking water. Moreover, most countries worldwide overuse their available water sources, creating stress on their local and global water supply. So, what is water stress? Water stress indicates that the demand for safe and accessible water exceeds the supply, meaning that countries worldwide withdraw more water from their water sources annually than those water sources can sustain long-term. 1 Increasing population and urbanization strongly affect the strain on water sources. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), many countries withdraw up to 80% of their available water supply annually. This pattern of water overuse is not sustainable, and many regions are in crisis as a result. Andrew Steer, president and CEO of World Resources Institute (WRI), claims, “Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about; its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food ...