Before Disaster READY partners built a water tank close to her village, Margarida and others from her community would walk two hours each day to collect water.

Period poverty remains a significant issue in Lebanon, exacerbated by the deteriorating economic situation, which has led to a drastic increase in the prices of menstrual hygiene products.

Noor and Roshida struggled to get enough water from a distant well for their seven children to stay clean and healthy. Now, an accessible tap stand at their home in Cox’s Bazar is improving their quality of life.

After Tropical Cyclone Lola struck Vanuatu, women mobilised to compile and distribute dignity kits to other women, including those with disabilities, in affected communities.

When Kiribati entered into a drought emergency in 2022, the Australian Humanitarian Partnership was activated. Now, solar water distillation units are improving child and community health in the capital, and on remote islands.

Young Rohingya refugee and volunteer Hafezur is helping his community to stay safe and healthy through water testing, WASH facilities management and repairs.

In Kiribati, the pressures of climate change and an extended drought have left communities struggling to access enough clean drinking water. By harnessing the power of the sun, new distillation units are giving families peace of mind.

When Shabera’s mother and sister passed away, she was left without family — and without a caregiver to assist her with daily needs. With the support of a community volunteer, Shabera has been able to advocate for an accessible toilet facility at her home.

In Tonga, coastal communities impacted by last year’s volcanic eruption and tsunami were struggling to access enough clean water. Through the AHP response, water tanks are now helping households to recover.

PNG churches have been an integral part of the AHP COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea, working alongside community leaders to share information and resources, and to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Through the AHP COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea, one remote Bougainville primary school now has a toilet and handwashing facilities on site, improving life for both students and teachers.

In Timor-Leste, the lack of clean water in schools puts children at risk. This is further exacerbated for kids living in disaster-prone communities. Disaster READY’s Disaster Management Committees are driving locally-led solutions to help keep these children safe.

Floods in Timor-Leste in April 2021 damaged water infrastructure, leaving communities without nearby access to clean water. Through the AHP response, World Vision supported the construction of new water tanks and piping to restore access.

In Cox’s Bazar, few Rohingya living with disabilities have accessible latrines in their homes or communities. Work by AHP partners is supporting better access to WASH in the camps for all. For 13-year-old Fatema and her mother, an accessible latrine has improved their quality of life.

For Rebeya Begum and other women in her village in Bangladesh, bathing was a cause of daily worries and waits. After receiving support from AHP partners to build a better bathing facility, women and girls feel safer and more confident.

When her village gained improved access to water with support from Disaster READY, Doroteia was able to become a businesswoman, selling her produce at market.

In Kiribati, training for preschool teachers, alongside new handwashing facilities, is instilling good hygiene practices in some of the country’s youngest citizens.

Residents of Halimea village in Timor-Leste say they have had problems with water access for 450 years. But all that has changed after support from the AHP Disaster READY program.

Life in the camps of Cox’s Bazar is already tough, but for 16-year-old Maya, who lives with complex physical disabilities, it is an accessibility nightmare. With the support of AHP, Maya now has improved access to bathroom facilities at her home.

Through Disaster READY, communities in Papua New Guinea’s Central Province have been supported by ChildFund PNG to come up with their own action plans to improve their disaster preparedness. For Molegolo village, a new water catchment will boost resilience to drought.