Wateraid - Drink Dirty Water or Die from Thirst?

Hi, my name is Anna and first I would just like to thank you for reading my blog!

Did you know that 2.5 billion people do not have access to clean water and a toilet? That’s one third of the world’s population!

Wateraid is a charity who work to increase the number of people who have these basic facilities. But they rely on public donations and they need your support for this important lifesaving work.

This is Mtinsunge (pictured right). Every day she has to walk 3 miles to collect water that is dirty and unhygienic. She shares it with animals and bacteria and it is also used as a toilet. Mtinsunge knows it will kill her and her family but if they don’t drink it they will perish. Most days she has to miss school because she is collecting water, supporting her family or suffering from illnesses like diarrhoea which she gets from the dirty water. She is nine years old. Mtinsunge doesn’t want to do it but she has no choice.

It’s not just the children either. Mtinsunge’s mother has to send her out every day to collect water because she has to care for her family. Her heart breaks every day feeding her children water that will make them ill, but she has no choice.

The elderly in Mtinsunge’s village are too weak and frail to collect their own water so they are forced to pay people to collect it for them. This is the money that would have been spent on medication, food and shelter. They want these human rights but they have no choice.

Thanks to public donations, Wateraid provided a water pump and toilet for Mtinsunge and her community. It is close to where she lives so she doesn’t have to walk miles each day and it’s clean, fresh and durable. She can go to school and play with her friends. She has a choice worth taking.

Imagine if you are one of these people. Every day is a fight for survival and you are constantly worried about your own survival and the lives of the people you love. You know that Wateraid can provide you with a local toilet or water pump, a lifeline for you and your family, but only if someone somewhere gives them £2 to do it. Wouldn’t you want someone to help Wateraid help you?

Wateraid need your donations to help people like Mtinsunge. Just £2 can change the life of people living in severe poverty. Visit http://www.wateraid.org/uk/what-we-do for more information. Please donate, before another child dies.

Thanks again for taking an interest in my blog! Please could you now post a comment to answer the following questions?

• Had you heard of Wateraid before reading my blog?
• Do you now feel more informed about Wateraid and what they do?
• Would you now consider supporting Wateraid by:

• Donating £2 to Wateraid?
• Take part in a fundraising event?
• Tell your family and friends about Wateraid and what they do?

Please could you also state your hometown and country (if not the UK).

Thank you so much for reading my blog and I hope it has encouraged you to save a life by supporting Wateraid!

Anna x