Recent Highlights from Just A Drop
Things have not slowed down during recent months for our charity partners at Just a Drop, and they can’t wait to update you on what they’ve been up to, and remember, every Friendly Soap website order placed generates a ten pence donation towards these great projects.
Overview
We’ve had fundraising events, project progress, and project completions, so there’s a lot to catch up on in the world of Just a Drop. We’d like to send a huge thanks to all of our supporters, attendees, fundraisers, and partners who have helped us to achieve everything we have over the past few months...
Kenya
Over the summer, work progressed quickly in Kenya with two projects completed! The projects were St Theresa School and Kavoko Nzeluni Sand Dam.
In June, the Sand Dam project at Kavoko Nzeluni Self-Help Group provided 2,026 people with access to safe water, alongside a range of hygiene and agricultural training and programmes. Pictured below are the community at Kavoko Nzeluni and Peter Mutisya, the self-help group’s Chair.
Impact Story
The team in Kenya spoke to James Lingwa, a 27-year old farmer from Mikwili village, part of the Kavoko Nzeluni community.
“It was difficult to get water for farming in the past because the previous projects were far away from my home. I could only draw a little water for cooking and drinking. I am now glad that this water point is just adjacent to my farm, which has enabled me to cultivate various vegetables. I have grown kale, as well as other vegetables like tomatoes and spinach, which will help me acquire income.
I will be earning enough to feed my family and saving some so that I can purchase a bigger plot and even get a motorcycle to transport my produce to the market. I can sustain myself from farming, now that we have adequate water nearby.”
Cambodia
In Cambodia, work was completed in Pong Toek village, as well as in Ta Tork village. These two projects alone have reached a total of 3,244 people with access to safe water, through the installation of 204 individual biosand filters!
Biosand Filters
But what is a biosand filter? Biosand filters are the main safe water solution we provide in Cambodia. As Cambodia has an abundance of water, which is largely unsafe for consumption, the main challenge here is to purify dirty water...
For this task, biosand filters are the perfect solution. Dirty water is poured into the top of the filter, and a bio-layer and sand-layer then filter out pollutants, rubbish, and pathogens, making the water safe to drink. These clever contraptions can produce up to 60-litres of safe water per day, more than enough for a family’s daily usage.
Zambia
Nicaragua
At El Aserrio School in Nicaragua, 278 children now have access to sanitation after a project which saw four latrines with a septic tank and a washroom installed at the school, allowing children to stay in school longer due to improved health levels and reduced sickness.
Uganda
In June, work started in Odiding County to map and prepare the drilling of three borehole sites in the region, which will eventually reach 1,851 people with access to safe water. This work will complement the large amount of work Just a Drop has previously carried out in Odiding County, including safe water provision, latrines at Odiding Primary School, small business loans, and menstrual hygiene education.
India
Our recent monitoring trip to India showed the projects we have delivered over the years are still bringing benefits to the many communities we worked with. We look forward to bringing you more updates as we continue to roll out our menstrual hygiene work in India.
Fundraising Challenges
Just a Drop was also graced with a host of incredible runners, taking on amazing feats in support of safe water and sanitation for all.
Jake Dowding and Dennis Ketelson completed the Brighton Marathon in April, raising £1,818 of invaluable proceeds for Just a Drop.
We also had one intrepid runner in the 2024 TCS London Marathon. Luke Chaplin of VCCP completed the Marathon in a staggering time of under three hours, raising £2,685 for Just a Drop in the process!
Thank you to all our brilliant runners and if you yourself want to take on a fundraising challenge, running or otherwise, just get in touch and the team will be only too happy to help you plan the event.
Travel United Cup 2024
Back in May, we were delighted to welcome teams from across the travel sector back to the Travel United Cup. The inaugural event last year saw 10 teams gather at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace to battle for the title of Travel United champions. The Cup was raised by Golfbreaks and all eyes were on the 2024 competition to see who would take home the trophy.
This year’s tournament saw a change of venue, with Premier League ground Craven Cottage, home of Fulham FC, hosting the event. 13 teams battled it out before Audley Travel were crowned 2024 Travel United Champions! Details for the 2025 event will be available soon so keep an eye on our website and social media if you want to be a part of next year’s event!
Awards
Over the past few months, Just a Drop has also had its work recognised by a variety of industry awards...
We were shortlisted with our long-time partner PPHE Hotel Group, in the Charity-Business Relationship of the Year category at the National Fundraising Awards 2024, for our joint Ecological programme. A huge congratulations to everyone at PPHE and Just a Drop who was involved!
At the Charity Times Awards, we have been shortlisted in four categories: the Digital Fundraising Campaign of the Year Award for our’s and VCCP’s 2023 Walk to the Well campaign; the Fundraising Team of the Year Award; the Charity Sustainability Award; and in the Corporate National Partnership Champion category, again for our partnership with PPHE Hotel Group. Results are out on 25th September and we look forward to updating you!
Finally, VCCP and Just a Drop’s Walk to the Well 2023 campaign won the Chief Financial Officer’s Award for ‘telling an old story in a new way’ at the 39th Marketing Society Awards, a great result and wonderful to see this campaign still in the spotlight!
Thank You
We would like to send a massive thank you to all of our supporters, partners, attendees, and fundraisers who have helped to make all of this work possible. Thanks to you, so many people have, and will continue to have, access to safe water and sanitation for many years to come.
We can’t do what we do without you, so if you would like to work with Just a Drop, please get in touch with our Partnerships and Events Manager Alice Mellar, at alice.mellar@justadrop.org
Wishing you all the best and we hope to see you very soon!
The Just a Drop team.
P.S. Just a Drop relies on kind people like you to carry out the lifesaving work we do around the world. If you can spare even a small amount, it will make a world of difference. Visit our donate page to find out what your money can do:
