Hand Pump
$5,000
Drill a borehole and install a hand pump, delivering clean water to a community at a central, accessible location. (Serves 60 - 100 people)
Central and Southern Asia
Central and Southern Asia
Central and Southern Asia
The Water Crisis
Central and Southern Asia stretches from the Indian subcontinent into parts of Central Asia, home to some of the world's most densely populated areas. More than 78 million people lack reliable access to clean water within a 30-minute trip. Scarce, seasonal, or contaminated water places a daily burden on families and undermines health, education, and livelihoods across entire generations.
Across Central and Southern Asia, clean water still isn't a given.
About 1 in 4 people in the region don't have safely managed drinking water at home. Coverage climbed from 66% to 77% between 2015 and 2024. Real progress. But that still leaves hundreds of millions drinking from sources that aren't safe or dependable.
And the pace is too slow. No region on earth is on track to reach safe water for everyone by 2030. The UN estimates progress would need to move 8 times faster to get there.
Worldwide, 2.1 billion people still lacked safely managed drinking water in 2024. 106 million of them drink straight from rivers and ponds.
The gap is widest in rural villages, which is exactly where we work.
Sources
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000–2024 (August 2025). https://washdata.org/reports/jmp-2025-wash-households
Water Solutions
Water challenges vary across Central and Southern Asia — from shallow contaminated groundwater to seasonal scarcity and critical declines in the water tables. neverthirst works with trusted local partners to design multi-year WASH programs tailored to each context. Solutions may include:
- Deep or shallow boreholes with appropriate pump technologies
- Gravity-fed and piped systems serving villages, schools, and health centers
- Hygiene and sanitation education for lasting behavior change
All programs are built with community participation through Water User Committees and ongoing monitoring for long-term sustainability.
Serving the Unreached
Alongside the water crisis is a deeper spiritual need. In this region, the majority of people remain unreached, and the Church is a small, often persecuted minority. neverthirst works through trusted local partners to bring water infrastructure alongside the gospel. Local pastors and churches are equipped to participate in program activities — building trust, dignity, and lasting transformation. Our work meets urgent physical needs while responding to deeper spiritual hunger.
Be a part of the solution
Serve a Community in Central and Southern Asia
Your gift can help provide an entire community or school with access to clean and living water. The cost of each project varies based on the region, project type, and number of people served.
WASH in School - Extension
$5,000
Extend a gravity-fed piped system to connect a school to clean, filtered water, handwashing facilities, and a behavior-change program to improve health in classrooms and homes. (serves 100 - 200 people)
Mechanized Borehole
$15,000
A deeper borehole fitted with a submersible pump delivers clean water to a central tap stand with multiple collection taps. (serves 75 - 125 people)
Piped System - Household Connection
$25,000
Fully funded for 2026
Bring clean water directly to every home in a village. In remote mountain communities, a protected spring uses gravity-fed pipelines to deliver water to each household. (serves 125 - 350 people)
Stories from Central and Southern Asia
Field Story
Miracles on Miracles: Encountering God in Southern Asia
Growing up, Bijay’s parents experienced a miracle that led to belief in God, escaped persecution for their faith, and experienced the reality of the water crisis daily. Their son now leads one of our biggest partner organizations in Southern Asia.
Field Story
Why Working in Southern Asia is so Unique
Welcome to small country in Southern Asia. This is a country with 8 of the tallest mountains in the world (heard of Mount Everest?), yet also a country where 96% of people groups are unreached.
Field Story
A Dangerous Walk for Water
Meet Chari, a woman in South Asia who started her days at 4am to collect water for her family. The path to find water was dangerous. She often was on watch for snakes, wild animals, and particularly elephants.
Stories Worth Reading
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