In recent years, most of the water-related news stories from around the world seem to fall into the ‘doom and gloom’ category. From the acidification of Earth’s oceans to the lack of safe drinking water in the developing world, it seems as if there’s always something negative taking place today.

Fortunately, thanks to remarkable charities such as the ones mentioned in this article and their seemingly unlimited dedication and imaginations, progress is being made and damage is being reversed.

Here’s what makes these 5 charities special.

1 – Charity: Water

It’s quite rare to find a charity that uses 100 percent of its donations to fund its mission, but Charity: Water is no ordinary charity. With overhead costs covered by sponsors and other foundations, Charity: Water is dedicated to providing clean drinking water to the developing world.

In Cambodia, impoverished villagers no longer have to spend their time acquiring charcoal and firewood in order to boil drinking water – they now have water filters installed in their homes. The charity offers a range of clean water solutions to cover virtually any scenario, including rainwater catchments, water purification systems, drilled wells and more.

2 – Three Avocados

This charity’s simple, yet supremely powerful slogan is: “Drink coffee give life”. As the slogan suggests, the charity markets coffee grown in Uganda and Nicaragua by small farmers and returns all profits in the form of clean drinking water solutions to impoverished communities within those countries. Everyone enjoys a good cup of coffee, but it surely tastes that much sweeter knowing that you are saving lives with every sip.

3 – Wine To Water

Founded by ex-bartender American Doc Hendley, Wine To Water is a revolutionary charity that markets wine to the western world and uses the profits to fund clean water projects in the developing world. With parallels to the aforementioned Three Avocados, now you can enjoy a delicious bottle of wine and help communities in the developing world. Who would have thought that getting tipsy can actually save lives? An ingenious idea.

4 – PumpAid

Thanks to PumpAid, a charity which provides elephant pumps and other water/hygiene devices to poor communities, 1.35 million people in sub-Saharan africa now have access to safe drinking water every day.

The reason this charity has been so successful is because elephant pumps are easy to install and maintain, which means that communities in the developing world can be left to their own devices to run the system.

Additionally, community members are encouraged to participate in the drilling of the well and installation of the pump, which gives them crucial skills which they can pass on to other communities.

5 – Water Is Life

This charity stands out due to its innovation of a revolutionary drinking straw that filters out harmful microorganisms, making potentially dangerous water safe to drink. One straw allows a person in the developing world to drink clean water for an entire year.

Always at the cutting edge of innovation, Water Is Life are constantly coming up with new ways to provide efficient hygiene and clean water solutions to the developing world at an affordable cost. Communities in countries such as Africa, Afghanistan, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan have all benefitted from the selfless efforts of this wonderful charity.