Yorkshire Water in Zambia

Yorkshire Water employee Matthew Armitage from Goole is about to witness the work that WaterAid does in Zambia, one of the poorest countries in Africa.

On Sunday 12 February, Matthew will set off for a week in Zambia, where life expectancy is among the lowest in the world and the death rate is one of the highest. He will see how WaterAid operates, and the challenges and opportunities faced by the charity and its partners in the country.

Acting as an ambassador for WaterAid, Matthew will go on various excursions to see both rural and urban projects. These range from a ‘model village’ where WaterAid’s project work has been completed, to seeing what life is like in communities that have had little or no intervention from WaterAid.

Zambia is a large, landlocked country and is sparsely populated by over 70 ethnic groups. Despite large fresh water resources, rainfall has declined in the last 30 years, impacting on farming, the economy and nutrition.
It’s estimated that only 60% of people have access to safe water and 49% have sanitation in the country, so Matthew will see for himself what conditions are like for those who have no access to water and how they live.

Tadcaster-based mechanical fitter Matthew comments: “Yorkshire has some of the best quality water in the world, so we take it for granted. Sadly, millions of people have no choice but to drink dirty water that will make them or their children sick.

“I was shocked to hear that 4000 children die every day from sickness caused by water related diseases and poor sanitation, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to really make a difference.

“This trip will be both challenging and eye-opening. I donate regularly to WaterAid so I’m excited to witness first-hand the difference that the organisation makes to people’s lives. I also realise the importance of the fundraising that companies like Yorkshire Water carry out – this can also make a huge difference to the work WaterAid’s able to do.”

Matthew believes his skills learnt on the waste water side of the engineering department of Yorkshire Water, will help him during his week in Zambia. He has an appreciation of how essential it is to have functional water systems, and an understanding of the practical side of physically getting water to a village.

Bradford based Yorkshire Water were joint founder members of WaterAid and since it was set up 30 years ago, colleagues have helped to raise a staggering £4million for the charity. Last year, the company received the President’s Award from Prince Charles at the charity’s Annual Supporters Meeting. From WaterAid balls and coastal walks to quiz nights and bike rides, Matthew’s colleagues really get behind the charity and the work that it does.

Matthew will be writing a blog about his travels to keep his colleagues and supporters updated on his progress. To follow him, simply visit http://www.wateraidandmeinzambia.blog.com/

For more information on what Wateraid do, visit http://www.wateraid.org/ , follow @wateraid on Twitter or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wateraid