Wello
Lovely World
Having a glass of water or simply
being able to write your name is taken for granted, please help those to
experience what you automatically do every day. On behalf of Brainwave, Water
for Kids & me, may you all be blessed abundantly & know that your
monies do make a difference.
Being a Bio Science and Technology Student studying and researching
Environmental and Public Health at Middlesex University http://www.mdx.ac.uk/ and being a member
of the World Famous Charted Institute of Environmental Health - CIEH, http://www.cieh.org/ - I was in
attendance at the World Health Environmental Day and as I was looking for an
additional Charity to raise funds for, it seemed as if the gods came together
and boom the rest as they say is history. I enjoy raising funds for
smaller lesser known charities, as often they have to work harder and fight
harder for grants and or help; and because I am a keen foodie and
environmentalist, it seems the most perfect solution to add Water for
Kids to my fundraising challenge.
Please visit their website; they are
truly a remarkable charity who changes people’s lives for the better.
How Water for Kids Began
Water for
Kids was set up as a charity in 1996 after two Environmental Health Officers
(EHOs) visited Peru as part of a scheme to help eradicate cholera. They were concerned that
people in small and less formal settlements needed environmental health
services in general and safe water in particular. They looked for a charity
which was addressing these issues, but they could not find one. So they set up
Water for Kids as a UK charity, rooted in environmental health.
The name 'Water for Kids' was chosen because it is a good description of what the charity does and if the kids have water, so do all the members of the community. The emphasis on kids also suggests an investment in the future. Water for Kids today is still run mainly by EHOs and public health practitioners. It has developed into a successful charity and the trustees like to think that it does things just that little bit differently.
The name 'Water for Kids' was chosen because it is a good description of what the charity does and if the kids have water, so do all the members of the community. The emphasis on kids also suggests an investment in the future. Water for Kids today is still run mainly by EHOs and public health practitioners. It has developed into a successful charity and the trustees like to think that it does things just that little bit differently.
WfK is
a small charity, set up by Environmental Health Officers, which provides safe
water, sanitation and health education for children and communities in
developing countries. Find out more about how we work and the history of
WfK. We are currently working on water and sanitation projects in Uganda,
Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Sierre Leone and Rwanda. In the past we have also
provided clean water in Peru, The Gambia, and India. These projects improve
peoples' health and well-being and save lives.
Take a minute to
imagine your life without a constant supply of clean water. Imagine spending
six hours of your already busy day fetching the water you and your family need
for drinking, cooking and washing. Now take a moment to honour the four
children whose lives were cut short as this minute passed due to preventable
water-related diseases.
The statistics are grim, incomprehensible even, but the reality is that safe and readily available water, a right we so often take for granted, is merely a dream for over 13 per cent of the world’s population.
The statistics are grim, incomprehensible even, but the reality is that safe and readily available water, a right we so often take for granted, is merely a dream for over 13 per cent of the world’s population.
In fact, 884 million
people throughout the world do not have access to safe water and 2.5 billion
people have no access to basic sanitation, according to the UK
government. Diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid kill
thousands of children every day. (Developments Journal, November 2009).
The charity's mission
Water for Kids aims to
preserve and protect the good health of children and communities in the
developing world by assisting in the provision of safe drinking water, good
sanitation and other public health related measures.
The way we work
Water for Kids aims for a holistic approach to the
prevention of waterborne disease and, in terms of its ethos, the charity adopts
what we call the 'three legged stool'. The first leg is the provision of safe
water, the second is ensuring there is improved sanitation and the third is
hygiene education.
Projects in Uganda and Zambia are managed on behalf of Water for Kids by local environmental health professionals. We also fund projects which are managed by other organisations, which we know and trust, they are also encouraged to involve health professionals.
Water for Kids considers sustainability to be the essence of its projects, there is no point in bothering unless it’s going to last. So we aim to involve the local community from the start. Later we discuss how they will maintain the installation in the future and make arrangements for them to take over the new system on completion. We will, wherever we can, use local labour and materials.
An evaluation was carried out on our projects in Uganda in 2009 by Kate Rogers. This year three major projects in Zambia are being evaluated.
Projects in Uganda and Zambia are managed on behalf of Water for Kids by local environmental health professionals. We also fund projects which are managed by other organisations, which we know and trust, they are also encouraged to involve health professionals.
Water for Kids considers sustainability to be the essence of its projects, there is no point in bothering unless it’s going to last. So we aim to involve the local community from the start. Later we discuss how they will maintain the installation in the future and make arrangements for them to take over the new system on completion. We will, wherever we can, use local labour and materials.
An evaluation was carried out on our projects in Uganda in 2009 by Kate Rogers. This year three major projects in Zambia are being evaluated.
How funds are raised
From the start, the
charity adopted the approach that fundraising should be fun. 5-a-side football
matches, South American drinks evenings, and donations instead of Christmas
cards have all helped raise the money to work on projects over the years. These
days, the most fruitful fundraising is achieved through individuals doing
sponsored activities and raising funds at seminars and conferences. The charity
has also received larger sums from three charitable trusts, but there is always
the potential for more.
How your money is
spent
As Water for Kids is a relatively small charity, it
has very low overhead costs relative to larger charities. WfK does employ a
part time administrator but does not pay the expenses of people travelling
overseas.
Our grant application form must be filled and approved by the board of trustees for each new project. To ensure accountability, the applicant must agree to our terms and conditions of grant before they receive the money. Water for Kids is only able to give grants to organisations which are recommended by personal contacts. This is so that the trustees can verify that the organisation is able to work in accordance with our terms and conditions. This is to ensure the money is spent on the project, as agreed.
Money raised from individual and corporate membership fees is used for essential administration, which keeps the charity going.
Our grant application form must be filled and approved by the board of trustees for each new project. To ensure accountability, the applicant must agree to our terms and conditions of grant before they receive the money. Water for Kids is only able to give grants to organisations which are recommended by personal contacts. This is so that the trustees can verify that the organisation is able to work in accordance with our terms and conditions. This is to ensure the money is spent on the project, as agreed.
Money raised from individual and corporate membership fees is used for essential administration, which keeps the charity going.
Partnerships
We work closely with our partners overseas and with
the local people to ensure our projects are sustainable.
Our Supporters
Much of our work has been achieved with the
generous support of our sponsors. We would like to thank the following
corporate members for their help in saving people's lives.
The following
organisations provide on-going support to Water for Kids, which is much
appreciated:
· Civica and
the JUSACA and SE Franklin Charitable Trusts make regular
donations.
· 9thPlanet
Design keeps our website up to date, free of charge.
· Environmental
Health News regularly updates the environmental health world
on our activities. http://www.ehn-online.com/
· The
Killgerm Group produces publicity materials and makes regular
donations.
If at any chance, you have spare few days and time to spare
and fancy a safari, and a trip to Africa, India, Peru, to help those less
fortunate, please contact Peter and or Carey for more information.
Carey Minhinnett
12 Forest Rise,
Kirby Muxloe,
Leicester.
LE9 2HQ
0116 2393061
administrator@waterforkids.org
Kirby Muxloe,
Leicester.
LE9 2HQ
0116 2393061
administrator@waterforkids.org
May you all be blessed and know that others right now and at this very
moment do not have any water, the most essential element of life, let
alone sanitation facilities; take a moment to reflect.
With love and #blisterfreewishes
Jani #UltraMarathonVirgin
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