Kenyan schools to benefit from latest World Travel Market/Just A Drop project
Almasalla Travel News – By Ashraf El gedawy – World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, has linked up with international water aid charity Just A Drop to bring clean drinking water to two schools in Kenya.
A budget of £15,000 is needed for the project, which will benefit Kithyululu Secondary School and Kwa Mbotoe Primary School, located some 100km outside the capital Nairobi.
WTM is leading the fundraising through various initiatives from exhibitor donations and at WTM fundraising on site to staff events which take place throughout the year. WTM has worked with Just A Drop for a number of years, but the Kenya project is the first to be funded exclusively by World Travel Market.
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More details about the project unveiled at this year’s WTM. A photo-shoot will take place on the Kenya stand (AF450) on Yesterday 5 November. Dignitaries in attendance include Just a Drop Chairman Fiona Jeffery OBE, members of the WTM team including Senior Exhibition Director Simon Press – who will visit the project next March – and Cabinet Secretary East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism, Kenya Tourism Board Phyllis Kandie.
Press explained: "The 424 pupils at the school have to bring their own water to school, otherwise they are not allowed to attend classes. But not only is the nearest water six kilometres away, the water contains pollutants."
By setting up a rain harvesting and storage system to capture rainwater during the wet season, WTM hopes to reduce water-related illness among children and improve attendance at school.
"All of this will result in improved health, increased attendance and concentration which will in turn improve the prospects for these children," Press added.
WTM and Just A Drop are committed to visiting the site once a year for at least seven years to monitor progress.
Just A Drop is WTM’s official charity partner. It was set up in 1998 by Fiona Jeffery, who retired as chairman of WTM earlier this year. During its fifteen years, it has helped 1.5 million people around the world. Furthermore, in 2012/13 Just a Drop supported 40 projects in nine countries, on three continents.
Head of Fundraising and Communications Just A Drop Kelly Railton said: "WTM has always been a key supporter of Just a Drop and we are delighted that this year they are funding their own project in Kenya. It gives added impetus to their fundraising efforts, and will result in the transformation of the lives of 424 Kenyan schoolchildren through providing clean, safe drinking water at two schools."
Press concluded: "Clean drinking water, especially for children, should be a given in this day and age. Just A Drop and WTM are proud to be active in this area, where great improvements in the quality of life can be achieved with relatively modest sums, backed up by hard work and commitment."
