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Dear Friend,
Clean drinking water is one of the most basic human rights, yet over 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water. In Latin America and the Caribbean, one-third of childhood deaths are the result of water-related illnesses. Tragically, these deaths are largely preventable. Access to clean water and sanitation systems significantly improves health and saves lives, yet millions of children, rural farmers and indigenous populations do not have either.
March 22nd is World Water Day - an international day to draw attention to the plight of those without access to safe drinking water. On this day, The Resource Foundation is highlighting the work and advances that our partners in 16 Latin American and Caribbean countries have made to address this issue. For example, Agua Para el Pueblo (APP), one of our Honduran partners, actively collaborates with rural community members to construct and maintain sustainable potable water systems while also promoting long-term development through leadership training. Over the past 22 years, APP has directly benefited more than 800 low-income communities. Meanwhile, CESAP in Venezuela is working with rural indigenous communities in the Orinoco Delta to install water treatment and filtration systems in order to combat the prevailing infant mortality rates, which are well above national and international averages.
Natural disasters severely damage local water supplies and spur the spread of water-borne illnesses. In the Dominican Republic, MUDE is helping victims affected by November's massive flooding to access safe water supplies. Similarly, Imifap in Mexico is implementing an educational health campaign to prevent the incidence of water-borne illnesses such as dengue fever and malaria among flood victims in Chiapas.
Reducing the proportion of people without access to potable water and basic sanitation by 50% by 2015 is one of the United Nation's eight Millennium Development Goals. While countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have made great strides, millions of people still lack access to basic services.
On World Water Day, please join us in assisting those with the greatest need and help us save more lives. Your support will enable The Resource Foundation to help those in need of clean drinking water and make it possible for them to improve their health and that of future generations. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Loren Finnell
President & CEO
Learn more about the potable water and sanitation programs we support.
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