Today is UN World Water Day. This year's theme is “Save the Glaciers”. A topic that seems far removed from our work for people in need? Only at first glance.

Meltwater supplies two billion people with water – for now

Millions of people in six of our project countries in Asia are supplied with water by three of the five most important frozen freshwater reservoirs in the world. If the glaciers in the mountains and at the poles melt faster, the meltwater flows change. Experts predict natural disasters like mudslides and even faster climate change as a result, while at the same time drinking water supplies decrease. In our work, we witness some of these changes already. 

When the water comes

Extreme weather will have an ever-greater effect for us all in the future. However, people in Asia have been hit particularly hard in recent years (WMO): in 2022 and 2024, cyclones and floods devastated large areas of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. We provided emergency relief in the form of food, hygiene kits, drinking water, mosquito nets and support for reconstruction.

When water is lacking

3.5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe water. In India, Nepal and Uganda, MI is committed to improving water and sanitation services through our Global WASH Program (read more below). We are working with people affected by water shortages in various regions to adapt their gardening and agricultural techniques to climate change to support their future resilience. Worldwide, we provided 679,040 men, women, and children with access to safe drinking water in 2024 alone.