ATLANTA – For decades, Global Ministries’ Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects have concentrated on communities that lack access to clean water, but particularly to ease the burdens for women and children. Generally, when water sources are far from home, women and older children must hike daily to the source of the water and haul it home for use, often on their backs or using a long pole across their shoulders. Unfortunately, if the water source is a river, pond or other open waterway, the chances of contamination and waterborne disease are high.
This physical burden is compounded by the social burden of children missing school and women who spend so much time hauling water they have no time to work outside the home or improve their own education. Global Ministries supports WASH projects that consider the needs of women and children and include women in training about water usage and sanitation practices. Women are also part of community water committees to make decisions about maintaining and safeguarding new water sources, like borehole wells, and keeping sanitation facilities clean and functioning.
In 2025, Global Ministries awarded 12 new WASH grants totaling $621,963.00.
From 2025 to present, there have been 92,395 beneficiaries for WASH projects, including those who have gained access to new water sources, new latrines, or were recipients of water and/or hygiene kit distributions.
Sanitation and Clean Water in Bolivia
This project will prevent many diseases in our community, like stomach infections, fevers, or cholera.
Fanny Intipampa Cocarico
Local Pastor, Cristo El Buen Pastor Church
Cobija, Pando, Bolivia
The Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia has about 9,000 members among 188 congregations, and many of these churches are high up in the Andes, where water structure and sanitation services are lacking. For years, Global Ministries has provided grants for a partnership between the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia and Fundación Ingenieros en Acción (FIEA). The partnership assesses water and sanitation facilities in the churches and then designs new and refurbished facilities, working on about three each grant cycle. The location of these churches where community members gather has made them ideal for reaching deeper into very rural high plains villages with sanitation and health education.
The latest to be completed are El Salvador Methodist Church, located in Sallacucho, Cristo El Buen Pastor Church in Cobija, and Victoria en Cristo Church in Litoral.
Fanny Intipampa Cocorico is an active member in her mid-20s and a local pastor of the Cristo El Buen Pastor Church. She appreciated that the project included training sessions for the community on the use, handling, and treatment of drinking water, waste management, proper hygiene practices, handwashing, and infrastructure care.
“The training was very valuable, and we coordinated the construction with the engineers. Now it’s a reality, and we feel peace and joy because this work will contribute to our health and protect us from risks,” Pastor Fanny said.
“The project is not only for the church members but also for the community and surrounding neighborhoods,” Pastor Fanny and her Amazonian District Coordinator, Daniel Mamani Solaris, agreed.
Minkoameyos Borehole Project
The borehole project in Minkoameyos has been a lifeline for me and my family, bringing clean water and improving our quality of life. It is a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives that not only address immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for sustainable development.
Peter, Minkoameyos, Cameroon
The United Methodist Church in Cameroon received a WASH grant from Global Ministries to drill a borehole well and install an electrical pump with a storage tank at the UMC headquarters in Minkoameyos. It provides reliable access to clean water for the church and the surrounding communities, Nkmassi and Edorezok (about 1,000 people total).
The UMC in Cameroon has undergone structural changes, moving from the leadership of the former UMC in Cote d’Ivoire to oversight from Bishop Ande Emmanuel of the Nigeria UMC. Currently, the church is moving forward with new projects, providing a reliable source of clean water, improving health outcomes, reducing time spent on water collection, and enabling community members – particularly women – to engage in other economic activities and participate in education.
Peter, a resident in Minkoameyos, his wife and children used to spend hours fetching water for their daily household needs. “The borehole project has not only benefited me and my family; the positive impact extends beyond my household. It fosters a sense of community and collaboration. Local residents are actively involved in the management and maintenance of the water source, ensuring its sustainability for future generations.”
WASH for Health Facilities in Sierra Leone, Liberia
In December 2025, Global Ministries met with colleagues of the Liberia and Sierra Leone health boards to complete WASH Facility Improvement Tool (FIT) assessments for their network of UMC health facilities. It extended invitations to both health boards to apply for Health System Strengthening/WASH funding to remedy the gaps identified in their assessments. As a result, the Sierra Leone UMC has been awarded a 2-year $500,000 grant to improve WASH across nine facilities and Liberia UMC a $360,000 grant over one year for six facilities.
Global Ministries is grateful to the Wallace Genetic Foundation (WGF) for its initial grant to support this assessment, and to Africa Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP), Catholic Relief Services, UNICEF, and other members of the WASH Circuit Riders Community of Practice for their encouragement and support throughout the WASH FIT process. Through this collaboration, The United Methodist Church will integrate into the newly convened Community of Practice, enabling a broader impact in its global work.
Christie R. House is a consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.
UMC WASH Projects – A Foundation for Healthy Lives
Celebrate World Water Day with a gift to Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) projects, Advance # 3020600 to improve the lives of all, especially women and children, and to make this precious resource accessible in more communities. Global Ministries Global Health WASH programs are integrated into health facility system planning to provide clean water and sanitation for patients and members of the surrounding community as well.
