Water works to alleviate poverty and suffering

Water charity celebrates role of clean water in development aid

The charity WaterAid has been one of the major charities celebrating the importance of Global Handwashing Day 2012 that promotes handwashing as a simple way to reduce disease and sickness.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says promoting handwashing with soap and water can cut diarrhoea cases by about 50 per cent, saving many lives as a result.

Tragically 2,000 kids under five die each day due to this preventable disease.  

WaterAid is active bringing clean water development projects across Africa and other developing countries.

As well as promoting health and safety the charity’s water projects also provide a platform for wider health, education and economic development in poor communities, including rural communities.

The charity's Big Dig projects in Malawi, for instance this year, benefited entire communities’ abilities to be productive and generate wealth.

With access to clean water and sanitation, children’s health is promoted so they are well enough to attend school and get an education. Women do not have to walk long distances for water across potentially dangerous landscapes. There is more time and energy for parents to earn a living and support their families.

783 million people globally lack access to clean drinking water, it is estimated, while about 2.5 billion people do not have safe sanitation.

In a recent statement Henry Northover, WaterAid's Head of Policy, praising an appeal by British Prime Minister David Cameron for more countries to step up international aid to relieve poverty, said:

"Improvements in water and sanitation reduce illness and deaths and are vital to meeting many of the other development goals.

"Sanitation is one of the most off-track of the targets and diarrhoea remains one of the biggest killers of children in Africa."

The water charity works in 27 countries across Africa, as well as Asia, Central America and the Pacific.