MARCH IS WATER & SANITATION MONTH
A HUMAN RIGHT This increases their childhood risk of pneumonia as well as their lifelong risk of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Pollution also increases the lifelong risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. The report also noted that in households without access to safe water and sanitation, children are prone to diarrhea and pneumonia. In addition, not everyone has access to proper sanitation and hygiene. This is mostly due to water contaminated by fecal matter because many families still lack toilets. It is said that unsafe water kills more people than violence and wars each year. Combined with poor sanitation, unsafe water is the world’s second biggest cause of children’s deaths. We can do our part through simple habits: Do not pour fat from cooking or any other type of fat, oil, or grease down the sink. Keep a “fat jar” under the sink to collect the fat and discard in the solid waste when full. Avoid using the toilet as a wastebasket. Tissues, wrappers, dust cloths, and other paper goods should be properly discarded in a wastebasket. Many families wash their dishes and utensils with nothing but water from improvised water sources; we need soap. On a bigger scale, let’s continue to help those who have less in life through our Rotary Clubs. Let’s remember that it is the human right of each person and each child to have clean water and sanitation. o 11 11