A Single Drop for Safe Water (ASDSW) is a non-profit organization whose vision is to build self-reliant partnerships that plan, implement, and manage community-driven clean water and sanitation solutions using sustainable organizational strategies, WASH Education, and appropriate technologies.
Since its inception in 2006, ASDSW has made a significant impact on the water and sanitation practices of the Philippines with projects that include:
- Water testing for more than 9,500 sources;
- Bio-Sand Filters for household water treatment for at least 15,000 people and water distribution systems for more than 40,000 people;
- Supervision and technical advice on the instillation and maintenance of toilets, pumps and other hygiene promotion techniques for 75,000 displaced from the Maguindanao conflict;
- Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions for three natural disasters taking place in 2011 and 2012 which resulted in 50,000 internally displaced persons.
ASDSW is one of four local NGOs in the Philippines that work alongside Oxfam.
ASDSW works specifically on WASH related issues, but it is part of a larger consortium of organizations that deal with issues of food security, livelihoods, shelters, and camp coordination and management. The consortium also advocates for humanitarian protection and compliance with international humanitarian laws and standards at a local level.
This consortium recently responded to a flash flooding in Northern Mindanao and provided a wide range of WASH services including the installation of toilets, water system, and solid waste management systems as well as initiating WASH committees for oversight of the new facilities. The committees will be responsible for the treatment of sewage systems and will also work with water districts to repair damaged water systems.
ASDSW was recognized in the Philippines as one of seven finalists for Probe TV’s Millennium Development Globe Warriors. Internationally, ASDSW was awarded the Katherine M Swanson Equality Award at the Tech Awards in San Jose, California in 2010. ASDSW is committed to growth and will continue to scale its impact by reviewing and upgrading its operational capacity.
