#WorldWaterDay 22.03.2014

Saturday 22nd March 2014 is World Water Day.

Safe water and Sanitation is one of IMPACT's priorities for action. Working across Africa and Asia, we implement programmes that provide the communities we work with access to safe, clean water. Whether it be through installing boreholes and wells, or providing filters to protect from arsenic poisoning; we do what we can to provide clean water which is a fundamental foundation to preventing ill health.

IMPACT works with schools across impoverished areas throughout East Africa to provide access to safe clean water and to implement School Health Programmes.

These children are pupils at Kaurari School in Kenya. This pump was much needed in the school grounds, as previously children had to walk long distances to collect water. Plentiful water on site means more time for schooling; and improved hygiene will result in fewer illnesses. We are also helping the school to establish a vegetable garden to augment the childrens' diets.

Pupils and teachers have been trained as School Health Monitors; performing regular check-ups on pupils to identify basic health problems and issues, with children being referred to IMPACT East Africa’s Mobile Health Clinic if necessary for further assessment and treatment. Each school has also been provided with First Aid equipment.

We provide pupils with vitamin A to protect eye-sight, and de-worming tablets to ensure that children are free from parasites and we help to combat malnutrition, preventing the negative impact these common health problems have on the immune system.

We believe teaching children while they are young is beneficial as instilling these habits at a young age will mean they hopefully develop into life-long practices. Sessions have also been held amongst the local community aiming to benefit as many people as possible, equipping them with potentially lifesaving knowledge.

http://www.impact.org.uk/priorities/safe-water-sanitation/