Clean Water for Yaya 05

The Track 05, Karuwalagaswewa village is located under the Galgamuwa Divisional Secretariat in the Kurunagala district. More than 365 families call it home. Their main source of income is through either farming or daily wage labor. Currently, many CKD patients are undergoing treatment and few others have already died.

Villagers of Kaluwaragaswewa have to travel a distance of about 10 KM's daily either by foot of by tractor. Some of the villagers use well water from the neighboring houses. However, this water was found unfit to be consumed due to its high levels of mineral contamination.

Despite having abundant water resources, many Sri Lankan communities including Karuwalagaswewa face water scarcity and poor water quality, particularly in rural areas. According to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, only 60% of Sri Lanka's population has access to piped water supply, and around 43% of the rural population relies on unprotected wells or springs for drinking water.

Access to safe and clean drinking water is recognized as a basic human right by the United Nations General Assembly. In 2010, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing "the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights." This resolution acknowledges the importance of access to safe water and sanitation for achieving poverty reduction, sustainable development, and the realization of all human rights.

Despite this recognition, many people around the world still lack access to safe and clean drinking water, and Sri Lanka is no exception. The issue of water poverty and its impact on CKD highlights the need to address access to safe water as a human right. By ensuring that everyone has access to safe and clean water, Gammadda is finding solutions to protect the health and well-being of the citizens of Sri Lanka and promote sustainable development. It is therefore essential that efforts to address water poverty and CKD in Sri Lanka and other countries prioritize the recognition and protection of access to safe drinking water as a fundamental human right.

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