News from WaterAid - Local man joins WaterAid trip to Burkina Faso
The daily struggle to find safe drinking water in Africa will be experienced first-hand by Peter Fordham of Saltash in Cornwall, who is embarking on a fact-finding mission to West Africa in support of the charity WaterAid.
Peter is travelling to Burkina Faso for two weeks, (6 - 18 February), with the charity WaterAid, which aims to provide safe water and sanitation to people in the developing world. He has been chosen to go on the trip because of his enthusiastic fundraising for WaterAid, organising such major events as 'Coast A Long for WaterAid', which has so far raised over £45,000 for the charity.
 Peter Fordham joining a WaterAid trip to Burkina Faso
During his trip to Burkina Faso, Peter - an ex capital planning manager for South West Water - will spend a day living the life of a family in the Koudougou region. Many people in Burkina Faso have to live without any safe drinking water or hygienic sanitation facilities. Out of the 12 million population, 5 million have no clean safe water supply and 10.5 million live without sanitation. Peter will be visiting some of these deprived rural villages, to see WaterAid's project work in action, so he can fully understand the difference the charity makes to people's lives.
The 54 -year-old says: "We are so lucky in the Western World to receive fresh, clean water on a reliable basis. As an employee in the UK water industry, I feel compelled to help WaterAid to establish the safe water and sanitation that we take for granted. During my visit I will be spending a whole day in a village without clean water supplies. I will also meet with local leaders to discuss the effects of living without safe water and sanitation. When I return to the UK, I'm planning to raise awareness of these issues - and their solutions - as much as I can.
Peter continues: "Women and children in Africa often have to walk over 20km a day to collect water which is often unsafe anyway, being from rivers and muddy holes. It is back-breaking work and the water often brings disease to their families - a child dies every 15 seconds from water-borne illnesses. The problems can sound daunting, but the good news is that we can all do something to help. It costs less than £15 to provide someone with a lasting supply of safe water and sanitation."
South West Water is currently sending out WaterAid appeal leaflets in with the water bills and we do hope people in the South West will be able to respond.
Notes to Editors - To arrange interviews please contact: Louise Bennett at South West Water
- For more information about WaterAid please contact: Lisa Martin on 020 7793 4524 lisamartin@wateraid.org Kate Watson on 020 7793 4793 katewatson@wateraid.org
- WaterAid opened a programme in Burkina Faso in 2003. A wide range of community-based projects are underway all over the country, with WaterAid and its partners have helped over 92,000 people to date. Peter Fordham will see how his fundraising is having a direct impact on people's health, well-being and quality of life.
ENDS
Published: 27 January 2006
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