Turn on the Tap, the campaign for clean water launched by the Christian relief and development charity Samaritan?s Purse four years ago, is celebrating the fact that through its on-the-ground operation over 1 million people have been given access to clean water in the developing world.
Originally launched by Samaritan?s Purse UK in March 2007 and now a global Samaritan?s Purse campaign, Turn on the Tap has already inspired thousands of individuals, churches and other groups across the UK to go on walks for water and organise other activities that raise funds to give children and families in the developing world access to clean water and sanitation.
“When we came up with the idea behind the campaign, we were really just looking to put a name to a cause we knew our supporters were already passionate about,” explains Simon Barrington, Executive Director of Samaritan?s Purse. “We?ve been overwhelmed by the response from the public in the UK. To date, more than 25,000 people have gone on walks and done other things for Turn on the Tap, and we?re confident this year is going to be our best yet!”
The announcement comes as the charity re-launches Turn on the Tap in the UK, with the aim of reaching some of the 884 million people – around 1 in 8 of the world?s population – who still live without access to clean water and preventing the deaths of some of the 4,000 children who die each day as result of water-borne diseases.
The new-look campaign, which features new resources and new website, is also calling for the weekend of June 10 – 12 to be designated as „Walk for Water Weekend?. The aim is to encourage as many people as possible to walk on one of those dates, showing solidarity with those who walk for water every day and raising funds to ease their plight.
Simon Barrington says: “Walking for water is a simple yet powerful idea. You can walk to work, walk from school, walk with your church or walk with your family. You can even walk beside a river or lake, and by asking people to sponsor you for walking, even more of us in the UK will have the chance to bless families in Africa with the gift of life-saving water.”
The funds raised by Turn on the Tap are directed towards the water and sanitation projects of Samaritan?s Purse in Liberia, Mozambique, Niger and Uganda. This work includes providing BioSand Water Filters in the family home, repairing broken boreholes, digging new shallow wells, and building community latrine blocks – all of which provide two of life?s bare necessities: clean water and toilets.
To find out more about the Turn on the Tap campaign and the work of Samaritan?s Purse, visit www.turnonthetap.org.uk
