In 2015, I spent 5 months drinking water collected from streams, lakes, animal troughs and random water bottles left on the side of the road. When I needed to go to the toilet I went into the forest to dig a hole. I chose to live this way, but for too many people it isn’t a choice.

In many developing countries, the primary responsibility of collecting water falls to women and children who spend several hours a day walking to find clean and safe water. This is why I choose to support Just a Drop – in the hope that if I walk thousands of miles to raise money then maybe other people won’t have to.

Clean water empowers women and whole communities. Clean water, sanitation facilities and hygiene practices – such as handwashing – change everything. The whole community has better health, children no longer die from preventable diseases caused by dirty water and a lack of sanitation, women and children no longer have to make long and dangerous journeys to the nearest source. Instead, children can spend more time in school and women can spend time working to generate an income.

With a stable source of water in the community, food security is increased, as families can grow crops and sell the excess. Communities have better health, more stable food sources, more income and increased prosperity. They can begin to lift themselves out of the poverty trap.

Just a Drop deliver sustainable projects providing support to communities through the construction of hand-dug and drilled wells, pipelines, sand dams, rainwater harvesting systems and latrines, and health and sanitation solutions.