Brackley scout heading to Madagascar to help improve water sanitation

Rebecca Alexander teaches at The Oxford Academy in Littlemore but lives in Omaha Lane. She will travel to the small island off the coast of Africa on Tuesday with the charity WaterAid where she will participate in three Madagascan Scout camps aimed at raising awareness of the importance of safe, private toilets and hygiene.

The trip will inform and inspire around 65,000 Scouts across the UK who have committed to support WaterAid to help get clean water and sanitation to everyone everywhere by 2030 as part of the A Million Hands campaign.

The 23-year-old said: “As part of A Million Hands, young people across the UK have committed to help change the lives of others for the better both nationally and internationally.

“I’m excited to visit Madagascar to see how Scouts are working with WaterAid there to transform lives by educating people about good sanitation and hygiene, as well as advocating for more investment in clean water and sanitation facilities.

“It will also be great to develop new ways we can unite with Scouts in Madagascar, and across the world, to help get clean water and sanitation for everyone everywhere.”

This partnership between WaterAid and the Scout Association sees young people linking up with their counterparts across the world taking action to help those without access to water or toilets in the developing world.

The trio of Scouts will also see first-hand what life is like without clean water and toilets, visiting areas without access to these vital resources as well as villages where WaterAid has worked to help transform lives.

Marcus Missen from WaterAid, said: “It’s easy for us to take clean water and toilets for granted, but far too many young people in developing countries live without these basics, impacting on their health, dignity, and education.

“We are delighted to be working with A Million Hands alongside young people who recognise the rights of everyone on our planet to have access to clean water and sanitation.

“The UK Scouts visit to Madagascar shows how young people across the world can unite to help achieve our ambitious goal to get clean water and good sanitation for everyone everywhere by 2030.”

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 70 per cent of people living below the poverty line on less than $1.25 a day.

Nearly 12 million people lack access to clean water and more than 21 million people, 88 per cent of the population, have nowhere safe to go to the toilet.

As a result, 2,100 children die every year from diarrhoeal diseases.

WaterAid works alongside the Scout Movement in Madagascar to help raise awareness of the importance of clean water, good sanitation and hygiene in remote communities across the country, and campaign for water and toilets for all.

For more information visit www.wateraid.org or www.amillionhands.org.uk