Backing local church activists and their sanitation campaign
April 20th 2009
Alan Whitehead MP is giving his backing to a campaign by a Southampton church group to provide better sanitation facilities for people in developing countries.
The campaign saw a local organiser Judy Short, of the Waterfront Church, take up the Tearfund ‘Make Life Flow’ campaign, which seeks to raise awareness and action to help the 2.6 billion people in the world without access to a toilet.
As part of the campaign, supporters are asked to sign a campaign toilet seat, to pledge their support for improving sanitation provisions in developing countries.
Local campaigner Judy Short used the example of young Liberian girl named Hakima to highlight the importance of the campaign.
Hakima - aged 20- from the African country of Liberia, lives in a community that has been encouraged by a local church to build pit-latrines and a well. When members of the community were asked about the benefits of the new toilets, they said “runny tummy” had left the village. Hakima simply said, “We don’t get raped any more.”
Before the village had pit-latrines, people were forced to go out into the long grass and bushes to go to the toilet. This left them vulnerable to attack and rape. Young girls were particularly at risk.
Judy Short said:
“The signing of the toilet seat began when my church had a day devoted to raising awareness and praying for the poor of the world. We were encouraged to do this by the relief and development agency Tearfund. I then took the toilet seat to my place of work and left it in the ladies’ toilet with information about girls like Hakima.
“We need our politicians to face up to the stink and become champions for those who need the dignity, safety and health benefits afforded by having a toilet. I’m delighted that Alan Whitehead has signed up and is acting with the Department of International Development to keep this issue in focus.”
Dr Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, said:
“I’m pleased to back this campaign and have written to Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary to let him know the support it has in Southampton. I will also be voting for increasing spending on funding for water to Africa to £1 billion over the next five years.”
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