News

Success for WaterAid down under

WaterAid Australia has recently completed its first project in Papua New Guinea, directly benefiting over 5000 schoolchildren and indirectly over 13,000 local community members by helping them to build latrines.

Funds from WaterAid Australia, raised through the highly successful Australia Water Association National Golf Day in October 2004, have supported the building of 84 latrines in 14 primary schools in the Eastern Highlands of the country.

Peter Dwan, International Programme Manager for WaterAid Australia, says, "The project worked with children as they are most affected by hygiene and sanitation related illnesses. We are delighted with the success of the project and look forward to many more in the future."

WaterAid Australia was officially launched just before World Water Day 2005 by the Australian Foreign Minister, the Hon Alexander Downer, and works in East and South Asia and the Pacific.

Citizens' action for water and sanitation

The Citizens' action projects will empower local people.

Credit: WaterAid / Abir Abdulah

WaterAid has launched its new Citizens' Action project: a major, inter-agency project which is to run throughout the UN Water for Life decade. It aims to enable citizens themselves to hold government and service providers to account for their water and sanitation services.

The first stage will help citizens to fully understand their water and sanitation situation, including their entitlements and the range of responsibilities for policy and service delivery. They will then be assisted to engage with government Citizens' action for water and sanitation and service providers on these issues. Initial projects will take place in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Nepal and Uganda but more countries will be included over the decade - potentially reaching millions of people.

It is innovative and challenging: citizens will take action themselves through direct engagement. WaterAid will facilitate the work, rather than mediate on behalf of citizens, as is often the case - hence the name Citizens' Action.

BBC Lifeline Appeal

WaterAid is delighted to announce that BBC1 will broadcast an appeal on our behalf on Sunday 20 November. The appeal showing footage from our work in Mozambique will be presented by supporter Nigel Havers and will be broadcast nationally just before Songs Of Praise on Sunday evening.

The appeal provides us with a great opportunity to raise awareness about our work as well as generating vital support for our projects. Nigel Havers has been enthusiastic in his praise of our work and has said "The changes that occur just by having safe water and good sanitation are incredible. WaterAid's projects really do make an amazing difference to people's lives."

We have included a flier with all the details of the appeal with this issue of Oasis. Please pass this on to anyone you feel would be interested in seeing the programme and don't forget to tune in on Sunday 20 November.

Make Poverty History rally

225,000 people joined the MPH rally in Edinburgh.

Credit: WaterAid / Richard Hanson

WaterAid campaigners joined over 225,000 people at the Make Poverty History rally in Edinburgh on 2 July, organised to coincide with the G8 summit.

Campaigners formed a giant white band (the symbol of the campaign) around the city and at 3pm all fell silent to show their determination to make poverty history.

Although the G8 pledged to deliver a further $25 billion of aid per year for Africa by 2010, there were no specific pledges for water and sanitation.

See how you can help by writing to the UK Government demanding more action on helping the poor access these most basic of needs.

WaterAid's adventures in America

WaterAid America opened its first staffed office in September 2004 in a donated space within the offices of law firm Allen & Overy in central Manhattan. Here WaterAid aims to raise funds and awareness of the need for safe water and sanitation among the American public, paying particular attention to foundations and major donors.

A year in and WaterAid has begun to build some real momentum. A very generous anonymous gift of $1 million has been recently secured which will underwrite these crucial early stages with some security. We are also in constructive dialogue with some major foundations and together with Fox Searchlight have raised $80,000 in promotion around the film Millions.

If you have any contacts in the USA who you think may be interested in WaterAid's work please don't hesitate to call 1 (212) 683 0430 or contact inquiries@wateraid.org

Eight ways to change the world

WaterAid is involved in a unique photo exhibition taking place from 7-19 September at the Bargehouse Gallery in London.

The event is free to enter and features newly commissioned work by seven photojournalists bringing the Millennium Development Goals to life. Exclusive photos by Dieter Telemans, taken where WaterAid works in Mali, explore the impact that safe water and sanitation have on people's day to day lives.

The exhibition coincides with the UN Special Summit to review the progress made on the MDGs, which WaterAid will be monitoring closely.

See the panos slideshow