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About four million people lose their lives annually to illnesses connected to waterborne diseases. Through unsafe water sources and inadequate sanitation systems, people are dying from preventable diseases, such as cholera. The Red Cross is working in vulnerable communities around the world to improve water and sanitation systems. In Les Nippes, Haiti, less than 20 per cent of the population has access to adequate sanitation facilities. The Canadian Red Cross supports a water and sanitation program there, which also aims to improve health care and first aid training, benefiting 15,000 people. In Sri Lanka, an astounding 60 per cent of people living in rural communities do not have access to a safe water source. The Canadian Red Cross is supporting a community based health program where volunteers work with their neighbours to create awareness about the importance of clean drinking water. To date more than 1,700 latrines and 400 community wells have been built and over 2,300 volunteers have been trained. “This work is important to us,” says Samahtha Gamage, community based health volunteer in Thawalama, Sri Lanka. “Family health depends on clean water – by investing today we can have a positive impact on the future health of our communities.” Despite these efforts and programs, along with several others worldwide, the need for improved water and sanitation remains immense. Currently, Zimbabwe is facing the worst cholera epidemic to strike Africa in 15 years. In addition to sending four Canadian delegates to Zimbabwe to support the Zimbabwe Red Cross, two of which are water and sanitation experts, the Canadian Red Cross is also accepting donations from the public to further support activities there. Click here to learn more. For more information about the International Red Cross movement’s work in water and sanitation throughout the world, please visit www.ifrc.org/watsan. Posted March 20, 2009 |
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