Kiran Bali: The power is in your hands

Dear URI family,

I am writing to you with a plea to save lives of children. Every day, diarrhoea - the second largest killer of children under five in the developing world - claims over 1600 young lives.

Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services, coupled with poor hygiene practices, kills and sickens thousands of children every day, and leads to impoverishment and diminished opportunities for thousands more.

Only 64% of the global population has improved sanitation, far short of the 75% MDG target. And while the international community has reached its MDG water target, more than 768 million people still lack access to improved drinking water sources.

The Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, co-founded by HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, is a Cooperation Circle and has been created with URI as a key partner to inspire the leaders of the world’s religions to come together in the name of providing improved water, sanitation and hygiene to all.

In partnership with UNICEF, a landmark summit has been held in Rishikesh, India where religious and organisational leaders across the world have joined hands and pledged to translate words into actions on the ground. UNICEF works directly with community based organizations and families to ensure that households have access to a clean and secure supply of water, and safe and convenient sanitary facilities.

History has been created through the unity, joint effort, experience, and expertise of renowned leaders of all faiths from across India as well as from the US, England, Europe, Australia and Africa, leaders of social organizations, NGOs, political leaders and celebrities working for WASH.

The faith leaders have underscored the importance of water and the environment and proclaimed their commitment to these by offering water onto a globe in a sacred Water Blessing Ceremony. They have taken a pledge to use the immense power of their respective faiths for promoting community health and wellbeing through WASH.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Please make a personal pledge.

Resolve to take the message of WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) to your congregations and communities, embracing the spirit of this campaign so that homes across the world have improved access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in order to save millions of children and families from death, diseases and stunting.

Initiate a WASH Project in your community. 

Create awareness of hand washing techniques with soap. This simple activity could save more lives than any vaccine or medical intervention, preventing the spread of infection and keeping children in school.   Educate and motivate children to embrace and share proper hygiene practices.

Share your experiences.

Let us adopt a successful plan in another part of the world and share resources.

Poor sanitation, water and hygiene have many other serious repercussions. Children, particularly girls are denied their right to education as their schools lack private and decent sanitation facilities. A proper hand washing technique with soap is the single most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrhoea.

Each of our religions and expressions underscore the importance of water and spirituality. By taking some very simple steps we can save many lives and increase the possibilities of sustainable development.

I am energised to experience how religious leaders are pledging to lead by example. By translating words into actions we can all make a valuable and tangible impact, beginning with the cleaning, clean water and toilets at our places of worship and pilgrimage sites. This leadership will create a domino effect across the communities.

URI members can join hands to expand access to sanitation and eliminate open defecation. This can save lives and reduce cases of diarrhoea in children under five by over a third, making a real difference on the ground

As we celebrate our diversity, I experience the rainbow of diversity being emitted from the one divine light and each one of us, transmitting that light and energy to create a WASH revolution.

URI family, let us lead the change that we wish to see. The power is in your hands.