Baptist Youth Urge Gov't to Address Water, Sanitation Injustice
LONDON – Young people from Bewdley Baptist Church in Worcestershire have sent a petition to their local MP highlighting the problems of sanitation in the developing world.
The petition to MP Dr. Richard Taylor, in the shape of a toilet seat, stated that over 5,000 children die every day because of a lack of clean water and sanitation, as reported by Baptist Times.
In the petition, Taylor is urged to encourage the government to fulfill its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and to raise the issue of sanitation in the developing world.
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The petition drew 80 signatures from members of the church and is part of a national campaign by U.K.-based Tearfund to highlight injustice on the issues of water and sanitation in the developing world. Tearfund's Make life flow campaign aims to help the 2.5 billion people who have no access to basic sanitation and the 900 million who lack access to clean water.
Taylor said he would be glad to raise the issue with the government and present the relevant minister with the petition.
"Although it might have to be a copy though, as I'm not sure he'll accept the toilet seat!" he said.
"I'm very aware of the high death rates among children in sub-Saharan Africa due to water related causes and fully support the promises and actions of the Government and the international community to alleviate these problems."
John Rhodes, community pastor at Bewdley Baptist Church, commented, "This just goes to show how young people can and do make a difference.
"All too often they are given a bad press, but again and again our young people keep surprising us with their desire to help those less fortunate than themselves."
Last year, the young group also participated in a Tearfund campaign in which they built and lived in a slum for 48 hours to raise money and awareness of global poverty.
