Share
RSSEpiscopal Relief & Development Commemorates World Water Day
March 23, 2009
On Sunday, March 22nd, Episcopal Relief & Development Commemorated World Water Day. Access to fresh water is a fundamental human right. However, at least 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water worldwide and more than 2.5 billion people are at risk of water-borne diseases as a result of inadequate sanitation systems. More children under the age of five die from water pollution than from anything else in the world.
In response to the mandate found in Matthew 25: 37-40 to care for the sick and give the thirsty something to drink, Episcopal Relief & Development is committed to providing communities all over the world with clean water. Working with local partners, Episcopal Relief & Development secures reliable, safe, sustainable supplies of water and installs sanitation facilities. These clean water programs:
• construct new water systems
• drill bore holes
• erect reservoir tanks
• arrange rainwater catchment systems
• maintain and rehabilitate existing wells
• protect springs
• help form and train community water committees
• dig and construct latrines and washing stations
• hold hygiene education sessions
In 2008 Episcopal Relief & Development’s clean water programs installed wells, piping, and watershed protection in 15 countries including Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. More than 30,000 people directly benefited from these new water sources.
Providing a community access to clean water not only protects people from water-borne diseases such as dysentery and cholera, but it also helps families break out of the cycle of poverty. The village Lomas de Café in Nicaragua is one example of how an entire community can be empowered by easy access to clean water.
In Lomas de Café, water was scarce. A creek that once supplied drinking water to families in the area dried up so for six years residents had to carry all of their drinking, cleaning and bathing water over one kilometer.
Leonardo and Xiomara were frustrated by the situation. With two young children, securing clean water became an all day activity. Because the problem affected everyone in Lomas de Café, they organized their community and received support from Episcopal Relief & Development to dig a new well. They were able secure a clean water source near their home and learned how to repair the well and keep the water clean for the benefit of their entire community. Now, relieved from the time consuming burden of collecting water, Leonardo and Xiomara are able to better provide for their family. Children in the community are free to attend school.
To help Episcopal Relief & Development give communities access to clean water, please visit www.er-d.org or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to: Episcopal Relief & Development, “Clean Water Fund” PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.
Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. As an independent 501(c) (3) organization, Episcopal Relief & Development takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief & Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.
