Love Water Love Life
Muslim Aid and Christian Aid walk to make people Waterwise.On Thursday March 20th, Muslim Aid, in partnership with Waterwise and Christian Aid, organised a walk through the streets of London to raise awareness of water shortages in the third world and water wastage in the UK. In conjunction with UN World Water day, the walk aimed to simulate a typical journey taken by people in developing nations who often have to walk three quarters of the day just to obtain water.
“With the help of our friends Waterwise and Christian Aid, we hope to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation, especially in schools and mosques, and highlight the plight that too many people in the developing world are forced to live with” said Maryam Mohsin, Communications Officer for Muslim Aid.
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Women from Somalia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia, dressed in
their traditional attire, began the walk to the sound of drums from the
statue of Eros in Piccadilly at 12.30pm. Followed by Muslim Aid
volunteers, the women carried pots of water down Regents Street,
through Oxford Circus and Marble Arch and finished in Serpentine Lake,
Hyde Park.
The event focused on the plight of people in the
third world who have to walk miles to the nearest well to get water.
The water is often contaminated and can carry diseases. Violence from
tribal confrontations is common as people compete for such a scarce
resource. Women, in particular, are exposed to mugging and rapes.
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Click on the above images to enlarge
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“This
is a fantastic day and there is a great atmosphere but our message is
serious, we are here to show the public how people in developing
countries are suffering through lack of water. We need to help them.”
said Munia Mostafa, representing Bangladesh.
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Waterwise, the
leading authority on water efficiency in the UK, aims to decrease the
amount of water used in UK homes by 2010. Over 150 litres of water is
consumed by the average UK household, 1/3 of which is flushed straight
down the toilet. Surprisingly, over half of the UK is considered water
stressed-the demand far exceeds the amount available- and the problem
is set to get worse as water consumption increases by 1% each year.
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“It
is a waste to leave the tap running when you wash your teeth, leave a
sprinkler on all day in your garden or not fix a dripping tap. By
making small behavioural changes and switching to water efficient
products we can all do something about it” said Chris Philpot,
Communications Manager for Waterwise.
Energy and water wastage
also contributes to climate change that can lead to extreme weather
conditions such as floods and drought. This could result in thousands
more people being affected by water shortages in the future. However
Muslim Aid, Christian Aid and Waterwise believe it is not too late to
make a difference.
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“People of all faiths, Christians and Muslims
alike are affected by water and people of all faiths can make a
difference. We hope that through the Love Water, Love Life campaign,
that more people become actively involved in doing something about it”
said Nigel Varndell, Inter-faith Manager for Christian Aid.
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If you would like to download our Love Water, Love Life leaflet , then please click below (Water tips are also translated into Bengali, Urdu and Somali).
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IMAGINE turning the tap and nothing coming out
IMAGINE walking miles and miles just to quench your thirst
IMAGINE getting there only to find that the water available could kill your children
Can YOU imagine a life without water?
- In 2002, 1.1 billion people were without access to safe drinking
water.*
- 42% of the world’s population
lack access to basic sanitation.*
- By 2025, around two thirds of
the world’s population will live
in areas facing serious water
problems.**
- Women and children can spend
up to three-quarters of their day
walking to collect water.
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*WHO 2004
**UN 1997
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Love Water, Love Life aims to spread awareness of the conditions faced by people in developing
countries and provide you with useful tips on how to conserve water. By conserving water and energy,
you can help tackle climate change, which in turn can reduce the frequency of natural disasters such as
flooding and droughts.
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Can YOU make a difference?
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