Tobias Menzies launches WaterAid’s Future on Tap appeal to bring clean water around the world
Actor Tobias Menzies (The Crown, Outlander, and Game of Thrones) is today launching WaterAid’s new fundraising appeal, Future on Tap, to bring clean water to some of the world’s poorest communities.
Tobias, an ambassador for the international development organization, is adding his support to the campaign ahead of the release of the fourth season of The Crown, which will be available on Netflix from 15 November. Tobias will be reprising his role of Prince Philip alongside Olivia Colman who plays Queen Elizabeth II and Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher.
WaterAid hopes to help transform thousands of lives across the world with clean water by bringing clean water to 50,000 people in Ethiopia. Nearly two thirds of Ethiopians do not have clean water close to home.
The money raised by will help families like Hawa’s in Frat, western Ethiopia. Hawa and her daughters spend hours each day walking the rocky path to collect dirty water from the river 2km from their village. They are afraid to go alone or at night as thieves are known to hide there. The changing climate is making life harder; with hotter summers and unexpected storms destroying crops, their only source of income.
Hawa Yimam-Mohamad said:
“If I had a choice, I wouldn’t touch the water with the tip of my finger, but I have to use it for washing, cleaning and drinking. People in our community suffer from diseases as a result; we spend a lot of money on hospital bills. I worry about my family.”
This appeal will bring sustainable water, toilet and hygiene facilities to communities in Berbere, which like Frat, is one of the poorest and most climate-vulnerable areas in Ethiopia where a lack of these basics is putting lives and livelihoods at risk. The project will include constructing flood-resistant community water points and accessible water and sanitation facilities in schools and health centres, as well as training communities to manage the facilities.
Tobias Menzies said:
“It’s easy to take clean water for granted, but one in ten people lack access to this basic human right, and our changing climate is making life even harder for poor communities around the world.
“With clean water on tap, lives and livelihoods are protected. They can meet their basic needs, stay safe and healthy, have time to go to school or work, and can grow food even when the weather is unpredictable. I’m proud to support the Future on Tap appeal; the money raised will help bring clean water to thousands of people, transforming lives for good.”
Tobias will take part in WaterAid’s star-studded virtual Christmas concert on 8 December, giving a reading as part of the evening of merriment, festive songs and performances that will raise money for Future on Tap.
Find out more and donate at www.wateraid.org.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Laura Crowley, PR Manager, [email protected]; Fiona Callister, Global Head of Media, [email protected]. Or call our after-hours press line on +44 (0)7887 521 552, or email [email protected].
Notes to Editors:
WaterAid
WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. The international not-for-profit organiaation works in 28 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 27 million people with clean water and 27 million people with decent toilets. For more information, visit www.wateraid.org/ca, follow @WaterAidCanada or @WaterAidPress on Twitter, or find WaterAid Canada on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wateraidcanada
- 785 million people in the world – one in ten – do not have clean water close to home.[1]
- 2 billion people in the world – almost one in four – do not have a decent toilet of their own.[2]
- Around 310,000 children under five die every year from diarrheal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. That's around 800 children a day, or one child every two minutes.[3]
- Every $1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of $4 in increased productivity.[4]
- Just $15 can provide one person with clean water.[5]
[1] WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines
[3] Prüss-Ustün et al. (2014) and The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2018)
[4] World Health organization (2012) Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage
[5] www.wateraid.org
