It's an honour to be asked to be a Wateraid Ambassador for their Coast Along event this Saturday 10th September. Coast Along for WaterAid is WaterAid’s annual flagship walking event!
I'm going to be walking for water, and of course I'd like you to join me in my walk. Phone reception allowing, I'll be tweeting, taking photos and videos along my 6.2 mile route!
You can follow my adventures @karenstrunks and keep updated with @wateraid and the hashtag for the day is #coastalong
Why walk for water?
Watch this video - though please be warned it is upsetting. It highlights the problems MILLIONS of people around the world of having access to water, and the work that Wateraid is doing to help.
A few stark facts and figures which have come as a shock to me:
At least 4000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.
One eight of the worlds population - 884 million people -do not have access to safe water.
2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population
I feel very ignorant. I had no idea of the scale of this problem. We pretty much take our water for granted. Instant access anytime we want it. We don't have to give it a second thought!
WaterAid has a vision where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. They do work in 26 countries across Africa, Asia and the Pacific region to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the world’s poorest communities. Over the past 30 years, WaterAid has reached almost 16 million people with safe water and, since 2004, over 11 million people with sanitation.
And that's why I'm walking for water and joining other walkers around the UK on the Coast Along event.
It's not too late for you to sign up too! There are 240 coastal walks to chose from in Scotland, England and Wales. They vary between 4 and 15 miles.
Why not take part? See some of the UK's best coast lines, get together with family or a few friends and make a team, have a great day out and raise some money for Wateraid at the same time! REGISTER HERE
I'm doing a circular route around Cardiff Bay. Did I mention it's 6.2 miles?! ;)
I wonder what I'll see and who'll I'll meet en route! I'll keep you posted!
Another fact - The distance walked by most Coast Along walkers will be similar to the daily routine for millions of women and children in Africa and Asia and the average weight of water carried is 20kg!
Donations are critical to WaterAid's work, and I'm going to ask you to please donate something.
Money raised will help WaterAid to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education for some of the world’s poorest people. Just £15 can enable one person to access safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation, so everyone who takes part can make a real difference.
Thank you. I hope you will join me along my Coast Along walk this Saturday :)
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