Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - In the world today 400 million minors, an average of one in five in the south of the world have no access to clean water. The situation is most serious in Sub-Saharan Africa where in countries such as Rwanda, Ethiopia and Chad four out of five children use drain water, or walk at least 20 minutes to find a source of safe water. Children often walk long distances to fetch water and have no time to go to school. They carry water cans which can weigh up to 20 kilos with consequent damage to spine and pelvis in the fragile age of development. Lack of clean water causes cholera, dysentery and other such diseases. It is estimated that children lose 443 million school days due to illness caused by dirty water.
Water is a major concern in Africa where 5,000 children die every day for lack of clean water.
The Fighting World Hunger Movement will build an 80 km aqueduct in the district of Gicumbi in Rwanda to supply 93,000 people with clean water.
The goal is to ensure clean water to reduce cases of disease caused by unclean water and to increase the rate of school attended and literacy among minors.
(AP) (12/12/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:28; Parole:343)
