Access to Water

Not all of us have access to safe water … but when it’s there it’s easy to take for granted...

...There are two things to get right with water - safe drinking water and the need for “improved sanitation” - aka toilets and stuff...

Jesus says “if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Despite this promise, the UN reports that just under 2 million children die every year because they don’t have access to the water or sanitation we all need.

Over 1 billion people are forced to use unsafe drinking water sources – those of us living in Africa are the worst off.

A massive 41% of our world’s population - 2.6 billion people, particularly throughout Asia, lack basic sanitation facilities… unavoidably breeding disease. This leaves many people - children especially - dying from hygiene related diseases and undermining poverty reduction efforts in many of our world’s poorest nations.

UNICEF goes as far as saying that sustainable development is “impossible” without safe water because people affected by poor sanitation are less productive due to illness. As a result, whole economies of nations suffer.

Every country sets its own definition of “access” – sometimes as available in homes, other times within a half hours walk. Sadly, many women and children of our world, especially girls, are denied an education because they have to walk for hours every day to fetch water for their families.

And the story is the same across our whole planet, as many struggle for survival without water...

So who will give those of us that are thirsty a drink? Something can always be done to help...

Let’s not be too busy enjoying the water that some of us have, that we neglect to see those in need...

Project Philippines

The majority of people with no access to adequate clean water live in Asia. Up to 40% of Filipino's have limited or no access to clean water. Less than 50% of the urban population has running water in their homes and 70% of the population makes
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SOURCES:
WHO (2004) ‘Water, sanitation and hygiene links to health’ in Facts and Figures
UNDP (2006) ‘Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis’
UNDP (2008) ‘Environment and Energy’ in 'Water Governance'
UNICEF, ‘Water, Environment and Sanitation’
UNICEF (2008) ‘Watery Definition’ in 'Health - the Progress of Nations'