Reflecting on 2024: Collaboration, Resilience, and Action
Lead members of the women's Sanya (Clean) Cooperative, standing in the yard of the community health centre of Touna, Ségou Region, Mali, in May of 2024. Photo credit: WaterAid/Basile Ouedraogo
In a world where over 2 billion people lack access to safe water, 2024 reminded us that solutions are well within reach when communities, organizations, and individuals come together. From young Indigenous leaders advocating for water protection in Canada to climate-focused initiatives transforming lives in Madagascar and India, this year was defined by collaboration, resilience, and action.
Every story told, mural painted, and partnership forged brought us closer to a future where everyone has access to safe water. Here's how we turned challenges into opportunities and action into impact in 2024.
Enabling Access to Sustainable Water Services
Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is a catalyst for transformation. It enables children to thrive in school, reduces the burden on women and girls who travel kilometres on foot to collect water, and safeguards health while unlocking opportunities for economic empowerment. Water touches every single aspect of our lives, fuelling equity, dignity, and opportunity with every drop.
At the One Drop Foundation, our model is designed to strengthen the key components that ensure the availability and sustainability of water services. We combine infrastructure development, the adoption of healthy practices, and the tailoring of financial models to foster local ownership, continuous learning, and sustainable growth. Our work reaches people where it matters most—making a difference in homes, schools, health care centres, and throughout the “last mile” of underserved communities, where access to basic services is often lacking.
Discover how the combined efforts of One Drop, WaterAid and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation—alongside local partners and communities— have improved the daily lives of hundreds of families like Sanata’s in Mali.
Art and Advocacy: Indigenous Youth Addressing the Water Crisis
In 2024, the Indigenous Youth, Art, and Water Initiative (IYAWI) showcased the transformative power of art and allyship. With the support of the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER), young leaders from Indigenous communities across Canada expressed their voices and visions around water-related challenges through a variety of art and community-based approaches, such as murals, water walks, and digital storytelling.
A key moment in this initiative was the opportunity for a delegation of young Indigenous ambassadors to take their advocacy to Stockholm for World Water Week 2024. With the support of the Canada Water Agency, these young ambassadors shared their unique perspectives on a global stage, amplifying the voices of their communities and driving international conversations around water stewardship.
Photo credit: One Drop Foundation
IYAWI is a pivotal first step towards the launch of a larger, long-term program: the Indigenous Water Allyship. Building on the momentum of IYAWI, the program aims to contribute to the well-being of at least 50 of Indigenous communities (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) in Canada by 2030, safeguarding sustainable access to safe drinking water, protecting source water, and empowering community-led water governance.
Latin America: Expanding the Reach of Lazos de Agua
In 2024, our collaboration with Fundación Avina and the Lazos de Agua program’s founding partners reached a pivotal stage, focusing on scaling and designing the next wave of projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. As program manager, Avina played a central role in shaping these new projects, which will soon roll out in Paraguay, Ecuador, Mexico, and Colombia.
By 2030, Lazos de Agua aims to provide access to sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services for at least one million more people in Latin America and the Caribbean. Thanks to the proven success of the program and its uptake of One Drop’s Social Art for Behaviour Change™ (SABC) approach, these new projects will empower communities to take ownership, adopt healthier practices, and build lasting resilience against water and climate challenges.
Photo credit: Grupo Armadillo
Confronting the Global Climate Crisis
Water lies at the heart of the climate emergency, and the communities we serve are often those most at risk. In 2024, One Drop worked hand in hand with local organizations in Madagascar and India to implement sustainable water systems and climate-adaptive practices in rural areas.
Around half of the world’s population faces severe water scarcity for at least part of the year, a crisis that climate change is only intensifying. That’s why we prioritize supporting people living on the front lines—while also strengthening our expertise and networks through partnerships with local and international organizations such as Clearsum and 1% for the Planet—to drive community-led solutions powered by collective action.
Fuelling Change Through Fundraising Initiatives
Each year, One Drop’s fundraising initiatives play a vital role in driving our global impact. From La Cuvée One Drop in Toronto to Walk for Water in Las Vegas, this year’s events offered more than just a chance to raise funds—they created unforgettable moments of connection and purpose.
Our innovative fundraising campaigns helped us reach even more supporters in 2024, and through strategic partnerships with organizations like Resorts World Las Vegas, the President's Cup, and the World Poker Tour Foundation, we ensured that every dollar raised directly contributed to improving the lives of people in need. We’re deeply grateful to our donors, volunteers, and supporters for their dedication to creating a water-secure future.
Photo credit: Cashman Photos
Looking Ahead
This year reminded us of the incredible strength that emerges when a global community unites for a shared purpose. In 2025, we’ll continue to build on our collective successes: deepening our impact in Canada with the Indigenous Water Allyship, expanding Lazos de Agua across Latin America, and strengthening climate resilience efforts in Africa, India, and beyond.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Here’s to another year of turning water into action.
