Right now, one in three people around the world do not have anywhere decent to go to the toilet. For one in six, a glass of clean water is an unimaginable luxury. Tearfund believes its time to put an end to this injustice and has launched a new Make Life Flow campaign.
"Shockingly, almost 900 million people are without access to clean water. Every day 5,000 children under five die needlessly from diarrhoeal diseases caused by dirty water. While over 2.5 billion are without a clean and safe place to go to the loo," said Tearfund's Sharron Hardwick.
In 2000, world leaders signed up to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), targets that could transform the lives of millions around the world. With seven years until targets are meant to be met, slow progress on water and sanitation is the most off track by more than 80 years.
As well as joining campaigners from organisations like Water Aid, the British Medical Association and WWF to form End Water Poverty, an international coalition, Tearfund has launched its Make Life Flow campaign to challenge those with the power to prioritise water and sanitation.
Over the next few years, Tearfund wants to mobilise thousands of Christians to stand up and demand extraordinary action from decision makers. The people of Pembrokeshire are being urged to join their mission:
"Please be a sanitation and water champion. It's simple, just visit http://www.tearfund.org">www.tearfund.org and follow the Make Life Flow campaign links. You can take action: you can pray, email Gordon Brown, take The Water Challenge, join the Facebook and Bebo SuperBadger campaign or give to our water and sanitation funds helping our global partners to unlock spiritual and material transformation by providing essential service in poor communities," said Sharron Hardwick.
You can also take action by joining the Put People First march through London tomorrow (Saturday). As part of a global campaign to challenge the G20, ahead of their April 2 summit on the global financial crisis, compelled by Jesus' message of love, Christians will join thousands in campaigning for: jobs, justice and climate.
G20 leaders have the chance to: rebuild economic policy, address inequality and sustain the environment, limiting the consequences of climate change on the most vulnerable communities.
"If you can't join the Put People First march, you can email the G20 leaders by following links on http://www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk">www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk and keep up to date with the G20's progress at http://www.tearfund.org">www.tearfund.org or call 0845 355 8355. Together we can make a difference," concluded Sharron Hardwick.