Greetings

From Barbara Frost, WaterAid's new Chief Executive.

I am delighted to be introducing myself as Chief Executive designate of WaterAid. I will be taking over from Ravi Narayanan when he retires in December after six years at WaterAid.

I felt inspired to apply for this exciting role having read WaterAid's plans and vision of a world where everyone has access to safe water and effective sanitation.

Like many of you I am outraged that two in five people around the world lack basic sanitation and one in six lack clean water. Fortunately WaterAid is doing a wonderful job to help change this through its work with partners and by influencing policy at national and international levels. Safe water and sanitation are essential if poverty is to be overcome.

Before, the villagers in Apowugo, Ghana, had to drink river water, or when this dried out had to dig down into the river bed and use muddy scoopholes. They now have safe water. For the past nine years I have been Chief Executive of Action on Disability and Development (ADD). Like WaterAid ADD works with partner organisations in Africa and Asia supporting disabled people as they campaign for inclusion and an end to poverty and oppression. For instance many disabled people cannot access safe sanitation - imagine using a pit latrine if you are a wheelchair user.

Prior to ADD, I held senior management positions with ActionAid, Save the Children and Community Aid Abroad (Oxfam Australia) based in Mozambique and Malawi. Our work with local communities included the provision of wells and latrines and information about clean water, hand washing and the spread of disease.

Before working in Africa I lived in Australia for 20 years. For part of this time I was part of a rural community where 'long drop dunnies', dams and water collection were an everyday part of life. Nowadays my base is in a Somerset village where my garden is a great joy and is watered by rain water collected from the roof.

I am delighted to have been offered this wonderful opportunity to work with WaterAid and am looking forward to working with our partners to ensure millions more people gain access to water and sanitation in the coming years.