Water : Our precious resource

Water is one of the most precious resources we have. Each and every human being has a right to clean water and adequate sanitation. Unfortunately, millions of people globally still do not have access to clean water. Globally, 31% of schools do not have clean water and 34% lack adequate toilets.  Over 1,000 children die daily from preventable water related diseases. Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. For many access to water does not seem like a huge problem, but for millions still, access to clean drinking water is rare. No child should die from drinking contaminated water, no child should miss school because of lack of water or proper sanitation and no person should die while at a medical facility due to poor sanitation.

Water related diseases are serious and account for millions of deaths annually and even though we may not be directly affected, many of our friends are affected.  With children particularly at risk from water-related diseases, access to improved sources of water can result in better health, and therefore better school attendance, with positive longer-term consequences for their lives. Water is a precious resource and we all need to responsibly ensure that we take care of our water sources as well as raise awareness on how to treat contaminated water.

Water is life.