World Humanitarian Day 2018
World Humanitarian Day aims to recognise the thousands of aid workers across the world working tirelessly to protect and help those who are vulnerable. The day is observed throughout the United Nations and is celebrated annually on the 19th August to commemorate the deaths of 22 United Nations workers in the 2003 bombing of the Baghdad UN Head Quarters. People around the world who dedicate their time to providing aid to others often put themselves at high levels of risk; since the beginning of 2018 nearly 200 aid workers have died or come to harm whilst carrying out their work. World Humanitarian Day honours those who put themselves in danger as they bring aid to others.
In 2018, The UN’s focus for World Humanitarian Day is ‘Not a Target’, which recognizes the millions of civilians currently caught up in world conflicts. Outbreaks of war and violence forces millions away from their homes and creates struggles for access to resources. Children are forced into fighting or trafficked, and medical personnel/aid workers are prevented from providing help to those who need it through targeted violence and obstructions. The lives of innocent bystanders are constantly thrown into turmoil by the actions of others.
Conflict and war limits access to vital resources including clean water. Infrastructure in towns and cities can be destroyed damaging water supplies. Displaced people often struggle to access necessary resources, whilst large movements of people can create strains on already limited water access. Interventions to provide access to water can be prevented due to strict sanctions and dangers to aid workers travelling to conflict-zones, which creates further suffering for those in war-torn areas. DROP4DROP is focused on providing safe access to water for all of those in need, but war and conflict can create difficulties in reaching everyone. Recently, DROP4DROP has been working to enable access to water in South Sudan, where war and political turmoil has left water systems neglected and destroyed and caused dramatic rises in the cost of living and accessing water. Many people in South Sudan were displaced by the conflict which started in 2013 but they have now started returning to their communities. Since 2017 DROP4DROP has been able to help thousands of people in South Sudan gain access to clean water by working to repair and build wells, helping those communities who have been damaged by conflict to rebuild their lives.
DROP4DROP is passionate about commending the commitment of all aid workers across the world striving to help those in need and resilience of all citizens who have become victims of world conflict. On World Humanitarian Day we celebrate our in-country partners and teams who work to provide and maintain all the wells that we build. We hope to be able to alleviate the water crisis, which is intertwined with the end of world conflicts and violence.
All donations to DROP4DROP go directly to funding projects in countries where access to safe water is limited, any donations can be made here: https://drop4drop.org/donate-pound/