Christians and Muslims Team up to be Waterwise

Waterwise and Muslim Aid have joined forces in a partnership to promote the need to save water. The Love Water, Love Life campaign, endorsed by Christian Aid, aims to spread awareness of the conditions faced by people in developing countries and provide useful tips on how to conserve water. The campaign involved a walk across London to raise awareness of how far people in the third world have to walk for their daily water. In addition, Muslim Aid has produced a leaflet on saving water.

'We are very pleased to be working with Muslim Aid on this campaign and welcome the initiative. The average daily water consumption in the UK is 150L and of this we waste around one third which is more than most people in developing countries have available.

‘By conserving water and energy, you can help tackle climate change, which in turn can reduce the frequency of natural disasters such as flooding and droughts.' Says Jacob Tompkins, Director of Waterwise.

'Water is an issue that affects us all regardless of religion. People of faith must work together to raise awareness of water issues in the developing world, the way those issues affect women and the links between climate change and water supply. Christian Aid congratulates Muslim Aid on the Love Water Love Life campaign which deserves to be a big success.' said Nigel Varndell, Inter-faith Manger, Christian Aid.

The walk took place on Thursday 20th March at Piccadilly Circus, under the statue of Eros. Women from Somalia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, wearing their national attire, began their walk at 12.30. They each carried an empty water carrier. The journey took the women down Regents Street, through Oxford Circus, then Marble Arch until they ended up by Serpentine Lake, Hyde Park.

Muslim Aid has been working on water projects in some of the world's poorest countries. By digging wells, building sustainable water supply systems and creating hygiene awareness schemes, they are upholding the communities' right to access clean drinking water.

Both Christians and Muslims believe that water is considered a blessing from God that sustains life and our earth and purifies mankind, so we should do all we can to conserve it. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) forbade waste even if seeming plentiful when he said 'Do not waste water even if performing ablution (wudu) on the bank of a fastflowing (large) river.' Al-Tirmidhi 427. There are lots of things we can do to save water. We should really think twice before taking this precious gift for granted!

Web: http://www.waterwise.org.uk