Lifewater Canada is a 5-star charity with High Demonstrated Impact. The charity has an A+ Results Reporting grade and holds reserves within Ci's reasonable range. For every dollar donated to Lifewater Canada, 91 cents are available to go to the cause.

Founded in 1997, Lifewater Canada (Lifewater) is an international Christian charity that works to improve access to safe drinking water in Haiti, Liberia, Nigeria, and Kenya. Lifewater partners with local organizations to build infrastructure that improves water access. It also provides hygiene and sanitation training to reduce illness from contaminated water. Lifewater trains and equips local workers to build and repair water and sanitation projects. Villages contribute $100-$300 of “sweat equity” to build these projects. The charity states that in Africa, nearly half the people lack access to safe water and only 30% of sub-Saharan Africans have access to adequate sanitation. Women and girls are usually responsible for gathering water.  Lifewater runs two main programs: Water Access and Hygiene, and Sanitation. In F2024, Lifewater spent $3.7m on its programs and reached 2,238,489 people. 

A Charity Intelligence 2024 Top Impact Charity.

A Charity Intelligence 2024 Top 100 Rated Charity.

The Water Access program accounted for $3.2m in F2024, comprising 86% of Lifewater’s program spending. Lifewater drills new wells, repairs broken wells, and repairs hand pumps. Lifewater’s goal is for each well to: serve 150-600 people, provide year-round water access, and be located within one km of 90% of people. On average, a new well costs $5,500, a pump repair costs $125, and a well rehabilitation costs $1,500. In F2024, Lifewater repaired 4,367 hand pumps that reached 1,548,268 people; rehabilitated 324 broken wells that reached 130,347 people; and built 421 new water wells that reached 162,181 people.

The Hygiene and Sanitation program accounted for $517k in F2024, comprising 14% of Lifewater’s program spending. Lifewater builds community washrooms and handwashing stations, runs hygiene workshops, and distributes dignity kits (reusable menstrual products). On average, a washroom costs $3,500, a health and hygiene workshop costs $100, and a dignity kit costs $5. In F2024, Lifewater built 26 new community washrooms that benefit 10,773 people; ran 1,253 health and hygiene workshops that reached 386,920 people; and distributed 11,650 dignity kits.

Listen to CBC's November 2022 interview with Lifewater Canada's Lynda Gehrels on well drilling in Kenya, cost per well, pump repair updates in Liberia and 85 new water proposals per month in Nigeria. 

Lifewater Canada received $3.5m in donations in F2024. The charity spent $3.7m on its programs, which is 100% of its revenue, and recorded a deficit of $338k. Lifewater spent $36k on fundraising, which is 1% of donations, and $288k on administrative costs, which is 8% of revenue (excluding investment income). Total overhead spending is 9%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 91 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Lifewater has $483k in reserve funds (cash and investments), which can cover 13% or two months of its annual program costs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

This charity profile is an update that has been sent to Lifewater Canada. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on April 25, 2025 by Liam Chapleau.

info@lifewater.ca