The failure to provide safe drinking water and adequate sanitation services to all people is perhaps the greatest development failure of the 20th century. The most egregious consequence of this failure is the high rate of mortality among young children from preventable water-related diseases. If no action is taken to address unmet basic human needs for water, as many as 135 million people will die from these diseases by 2020. Between 34 and 76 million people will perish from water- related diseases by 2020.
This problem is one of the most serious public health crisis facing us, and deserves far more attention and resources than it has received so far. A wide range of water problems faces nations and individuals around the world. These problems include international and regional disputes over water, water scarcity and contamination, unsustainable use of groundwater, ecological degradation, and the threat of climate change.
At the heart of the world’s water problems, however, is the failure to provide even the most basic water services for billions of people and the devastating human health problems associated with that failure. Birthdays…. We all have them. Now, let’s use them to do something big. Pledge to give up your next birthday, ask for donations instead of gifts, and help change lives!
Hear from the people who’ve done it. Starting a birthday campaign is easy. Instead of birthday presents, just ask your family and friends to donate to clean water projects for your big day. “We’ll use 100% of the money you raise to build clean water projects around the world. If your birthday is not for a while, don’t worry. We’ll remind you when it gets near. When the project(s) you helped fund are finished, we’ll prove them with photos and GPS. You’ll see how your birthday has changed lives”. Watch the video and go to the link below to get more information and start to do something!