In 1998, Just a Drop partnered with the British Red Cross in North Gondar, Ethiopia to deliver our first projects, installing wells and running community health programmes.
Fiona says, “My first visit to Gondar provided me with a sense of wonder from the lush, green landscape to the warm and friendly welcome I received. Nevertheless, the un-necessary loss of life – from entirely treatable diseases such as dysentery, diarrhoea and cholera – left me determined to do something and it is this that has kept me going over the years.”
In 1999, Just a Drop went on to help the British Red Cross with their efforts to provide relief to Turkey after two substantial earthquakes almost destroyed vast areas of Izmit and Bolu province. Later that year we also assisted with another disaster relief effort in Central America after Hurricane Mitch swept through the region.
From these humble beginnings, our work has grown to include 31 nations. We have delivered over 130 water aid projects, servicing an estimated 1.5 million children and their families in the poorest – and in some cases – most remote communities around the world.
Find out more about how we work by clicking here.
1.4 million children die every year from diarrhoea because of unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation.
That is 4,000 children per day.
Faced with this harsh reality, you might think that your support – large or small – will not be enough to change things.
But in fact, just a little support can go a long way, and you can very easily save lives. £36 can provide a family with a lasting supply of clean, safe water, £10 is more than enough to provide this to a child for life.
THE FACTS ARE ALARMING:
- Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water related disease
- Diarrhoea from poor sanitation and dirty water kills more children under the age of five than measles, HIV and malaria combined
- 768 million people in the world do not have access to clean, safe water
- Around 2.5 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation
- More people in the world own mobile phones than have access to a toilet
- Over 2.75 million people die from diseases every year because of unsafe water
- Children in poor environments often carry approximately 1,000 parasitic worms in their bodies
- The average distance a woman or child walks to collect water is 6km
- Over 40 billion working hours are spent carrying water each year in Africa
- In parts of Africa and Asia women often carry water weighing as much as 20kgs (the same as the average UK airport luggage allowance) on their heads
- 443 million school days are lost each year due to water-related illness
BUT, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT:
- £1 is all it takes to provide a child with clean, safe water for 10 years
- In fact, making a regular donation is one of the most effective ways of supporting our work, as it allows us to plan ahead and thereby reach even more people in need. To set up a monthly, quarterly or annual donation, please click here.
MAKE A DONATION:
Every pound you donate will make a vital difference to the lives of some of the poorest people. Click here to make that difference.