Before Vijayalakshmi had a toilet for her family to use at home, she, her husband, and their children joined the more than 157 million others in India who went outdoors. Unsafe and unhealthy, Vijayalakshmi had to find an affordable, sustainable way to give her family a sanitation solution at home. Through Water.org's partners in India, she did. Watch as she shares her story on how financing empowered her family with a toilet, and her sons with the time and health to pursue educations and bright futures.

Like water, toilets are critical. Toilets prevent the spread of disease, and provide health, privacy, and safety. Today, 2 in 5 people don’t have access to a safe toilet so they spend hours a day searching for a place to go. Learn more about the sanitation crisis.