CLEAN WATER
Access to water and to sanitation facilities is essential for all life. Many Lutheran World Relief projects focus on bringing clean water and sanitation to people around the world. Yet far more needs to be done. More than 1.2 billion people lack access to safe water and 2.6 billion people lack even basic sanitary facilities. Every day, 5,000 children die from preventable diseases like diarrhea, in developing countries, and 80% of illness stems from lack of clean water. Each year this resource void kills between 2 and 5 million people. Lack of this basic necessity undermines the sustainability of other critical needs, including education, economic development, nutrition, environmental health and gender equality. In addition competition over scarce or poorly allocated water resources can lead to tension and insecurity.
Although the situation is a challenge, a solution is possible. It is only when decision-makers, communities and governments can collaborate that they can develop policies which will allow all people to have access to clean water and proper sanitation. As people of faith we need to join with others around the world in an effort to address a problem that can be solved by time and political and economic attention.
Lutheran World Relief addresses this issue through both advocacy and through projects on the ground. Every day Lutheran World Relief works with partners around the world to help address water-related issues. From Peru to Indonesia, our projects help to improve community water and sanitation by drilling boreholes, digging wells and constructing latrines. We also partner with farmers to improve their water access by installing irrigation systems in places like India and Tanzania. Through highlighting these needs in the halls of the U.S. Congress, Lutheran World Relief works to secure appropriate funding for and achieve awareness of the dire need for clear and decisive action by the world community to assure the access of all of God’s people to clean water and adequate sanitation.
"We shall not finally defeat AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, or any of the other infectious diseases that plague the developing world until we have also won the battle for safe drinking water, sanitation and basic health care." - Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General
WHO IS LWR? Lutheran World Relief, an international nonprofit organization, works to end poverty and injustice by empowering some of the world's most impoverished communities to help themselves. With partners in 35 countries, LWR seeks to promote sustainable development with justice and dignity by helping communities bring about change for healthy, safe and secure lives; engage in Fair Trade; promote peace and reconciliation; and respond to emergencies. LWR is headquartered in Baltimore, Md. and has worked in international development and relief since 1945.
Lutheran World Relief is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), individuals and parish groups in international relief, development, advocacy and social responsibility.
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For more information, please contact advocacy@lwr.org.
