Hi
We hope that you will not mind, but this year we have again decided to donate all the money that we would have spent on Christmas cards (plus some) to WaterAid.

The World's water crisis has long been a cause of great concern for us and WaterAid has a fantastic reputation for using small amounts of money to great effect. For further information, or to make a donation click here www.wateraid.org

5000 children will die on Christmas Day from diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation; mainly from diarrhoeal diseases like cholera and dysentery. Yet all are easily prevented through water, sanitation and hygiene projects. Maybe you could make a donation instead of sending cards too?

The story opposite exemplifies the life changing benefits of a little money.
If you are stuck for Xmas present ideas, why not give someone a bog? click here

Many thanks,
Happy Christmas and have a fantastic New Year!!
Best wishes

Graham Meller

The community in Chipongwe village, Zambia, have formed a strong water committee which looks after the handpump and hygiene issues in the village. Christina Pede explains the changes that the new water supply has brought:
"I collect water from here every day. This water is much better and cleaner than the water we used to collect-this handpump is a great improvement on what we had before. Previously when we used to drink the water from the dam we used to get diarrhoea and really itchy skin when we used it to bathe in it. These health problems have stopped now.
This water has really helped my family. The distance we walk to collect water and carry heavy loads has reduced a lot. My children are now able to go to school, but in the past by the time they had gone down and collected water they couldn't go to school. Now they can go with no problems at all."

"I have even started growing a garden for some food. I am growing tomatoes, rape and other vegetables for my family. Having the water so close means that I can use the water to grow this food too, before we just couldn't do this."