Another year is almost at an end. Many of us will be celebrating the holidays and, in quieter moments, reflecting on the achievements and challenges of 2009 - and what lies ahead in 2010.
As Chair of Wasrag my own thoughts naturally focus on the progress we are making. When Wasrag was founded in 2007 our goal was to help achieve Millennium Development Goal #7: «By 2015 reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe water and sanitation».
The most recent data (2008) from UNICEF and WHO* indicates:
The world is on track to meet the MDG drinking water target. The number of people without an improved drinking water source is now below one billion.
The world is not on track to meet the MDG sanitation target. Two and a half billion people - 38% of the world's population, remain without improved sanitation facilities, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.
The advances on the drinking water target are really encouraging, and Rotarians around the world have played a significant part in that achievement. On the sanitation front - we have a long way to go. Sanitation isn't glamorous or exciting. And yet, it is the key to enhancing the quality of life for so many of the world's poorest people. On behalf of the Board of Wasrag I would like to wish you all a happy, peaceful holiday season with your families and friends. Let's come back refreshed and invigorated in 2010 and renew our efforts to put a big dent in those statistics!
Ron Denham,
Chair and the Wasrag Board:
Himansu Basu; Ernesto Carlin; Jayantilal Chande; Carolyn Crowley Meub; Jim Goodrich; Edward Kairu; Kumar Kewalramani; Arvind Phukan; Peter Rostron; Virginia Ryan; Robert Shelley III; Rekha Shetty; Bob Wubbena and Hakim Zahar
December 09
PHOTO: UNICEF Season's Gretings Card
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