Photo: Hawa, a farmer from Frat, Ethiopia, has collected her water from a river since she was five. Her struggle for water will soon be a thing of the past:
“Three years ago there was a drought, so the crops didn’t grow. This year, too much rain destroyed the harvest. With clean water, we can plant vegetables in our gardens, so we have food even if our crops fail, and we can improve our hygiene and be healthy. I want water for my children.”
WaterAid would like to thank the very generous Radio 4 listeners who donated a total of鈥�£116,804 for our appeal presented by Rageh Omaar. It costs just £15 to bring clean water to one person, so this incredible amount will help transform many lives.
The money is already helping people living on the frontline of climate change. Extreme rains and floods can contaminate unprotected water sources while droughts dry up springs. With a reliable source of clean water that keeps flowing whatever the weather, families can stay healthy and are better equipped to cope in the face of a crisis.
One community facing the uncertainty of climate change is Frat in Ethiopia, where a pond families collect water from has been drying up more quickly over the years. Animut’s young daughter Aynadis recently broke her arm when she got stuck in the mud while collecting water from it. He looks forward to a better future for his family: “Water is the guarantee of our life. Having clean water in the village will bring a great change to our daily lives and health."
WaterAid is working together with the community to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to Frat, helping improve lives and livelihoods for generations to come.
We are delighted to say the money raised will be matched by the UK Government, making twice the difference. Although we can't expect to receive this money until April 2022, it hasn't delayed our work.
To find out more about the impact of your donations, please visit our .
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Water Aid Rageh Omaar presents the Radio 4 Appeal, 8 November 2020