Introduction

The ongoing water crisis claims the lives of 5000 children a day through water-related illnesses.

Credit: WaterAid / Jon Spaull

At the end of last year WaterAid was presented with the Third Sector Award for Britain's Most Admired Charity 2006. Voted for by our peers in the voluntary sector, this award recognised the hard work of all of our staff and volunteers around the world.

Their commitment, and that of our partner organisations, is crucial to our success: they share a passion for change among the communities we work with and drive forward the political agenda to ensure water and sanitation are prioritised in plans to reduce poverty.

Both elements are vital if we are to make a long term impact, as the need for these essential services remains vast. In developing nations this ongoing crisis claims the lives of 5000 children a day through water-related illnesses.

Ask most poor people in the developing world what they need to escape a life of poverty and disease and top of their list will be clean water. Combine this with somewhere safe to go to the toilet and awareness of good hygiene practices and you have the foundation of all other development.

This year, with your vital support, we aim to help over a million people gain access to safe water and over one and a half million gain access to sanitation. 

Inside this edition of Oasis you can read how these services can make a real and lasting difference to individuals around the world, and the problems communities face without them. You can also find out how to help us call on decision makers to prioritise water and sanitation through the new End Water Poverty campaign.

By working together we can change the future for people living in poverty around the world.

Thank you for your support,