Thousands Dying from Water Crisis
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 11, 2008) – When drought conditions hit South Florida, flowers wilt, grass turns brown, some residents grumble about having to put up with watering restrictions, and it’s a story that often leads the nightly newscast. But thousands of children die every day because they lack access to clean, safe drinking water and the story is seldom told.
March 22nd is World Water Day and Food For The Poor is spreading the word about the current water crisis in the Caribbean and Latin America and what it is doing to help end the suffering there.
Throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, thousands of people lack access to clean water and proper sanitation. Women and children often have to walk miles every day just to get enough water for drinking, cooking, and washing. According to the United Nations, children often suffer the most; every day, worldwide, 4,400 children under the age of five die because of illness caused by dirty water and poor sanitation. In fact, the UN says diarrhea kills five times more children every year than HIV/AIDS.
Since 1998, Food For The Poor has funded nearly 600 life-saving water projects in the Caribbean and Latin America. The Florida-based nonprofit has helped provide more than a quarter of a million people with safe, clean, water by drilling wells, setting up pumps and storage tanks, and by building cisterns.
Imagine how many lives would be saved by drilling just one water well or installing proper sanitation facilities in their communities.
To learn more about the water crisis in the Caribbean and Latin America –including ways to help save lives there –log on to www.FoodForThePoor.org/worldwaterday.
Food For The Poor is the second largest international relief and development organization in the nation and the # 1 charity in Florida. With more than 96% of all donations going directly to programs that help those in need, Food For The Poor provides nourishing food, safe shelter, necessary medical care, educational materials, support for orphans and the aged, and much more to the poorest of the poor in 16 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Contact:
Hugh Graf
(954) 427-2222, ext. 6610
