Governments are increasingly recognising that their nation's health is dependent on sanitation. The most successful schemes focus on involving a town or village in developing a supply of clean drinking water. Wells are often the best solution for a long-term, sustainable water supply.
The whole community is encouraged to take part in the planning and building of the well. The well is then maintained, mended and generally taken care of by local people without the need for outside help. The water pump, for example,sometimes breaks, but it can soon be fixed, as the community has been trained in doing repairs with inexpensive, easily available tools.
The schemes also aim to educate people about the need to avoid washing in contaminated water into which waste has been pumped. Where these schemes have been implemented, the well-being of the whole community has improved dramatically.