The world of excess food, money, and enjoyment is shadowed by another world where hundreds of thousands consider safe drinking water a luxury. What if your child was one of those hundreds of thousands?
Corinthia is very conscious of this tragedy and is doing something about it. It is a sponsor of Just a Drop, an international water-aid charity that aims to reduce child mortality caused by poor sanitation and unsafe water. In this way it has reached out to over 40,000 people, across three countries : Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania.
The projects are sometimes very simple but dramatically effective and life–saving. Just a Drop recently concluded a venture for the Buwambo Primary School in Uganda, where 762 pupils and 14 teachers have benefitted through the construction of a 30,000 litre water storage tank, collecting safe water through the rainy seasons. Access is not the only solution. The handling and storing water safely is also vital. A gender-sensitive latrine block was also built. Now they no longer need to walk 1.5km away from the school for these basic facilities.
Solutions become more sustainable through proper education. Basic instruction on hand washing, safe water, food hygiene and latrine use was offered. To strengthen sustainability, a Health Club was set up to continue reinforcing these messages.
Health Club members visited a model school that Just a Drop has previously supported. They could thus share the different ways another school was promoting good practices.
Mr. Alfred Pisani, Founder and Chairman of Corinthia Hotels, looks at all this with admiration and satisfaction that Corinthia is part of this redeeming effort. “The results have positively touched the lives and futures of so many. We are pleased to continue our work with the Just a Drop team, which has become a benchmark for the travel industry in caring for the many communities around the world that host our guests”.
Illness has reduced, results have improved, the whole school environment is healthier and the children no longer have to cross a busy, dangerous road to fetch water.
Besides schools, a number of villages in Zambia have also benefitted from these projects. They had no access to safe water, and people often travelled many miles to fetch unsafe water. With Corinthia’s support, Just a Drop drilled boreholes in two villages, Namwaba and Nkoloko, while also educating villagers on best hygiene practices. Now 650 villagers have access to safe water all year round.
When you look around and see the suffering of others, your inaction becomes part of their misery. Corinthia has reached out its hand and is determined to do so with more emphasis in the future.