Today is World Health Day. It is a day to recognize the health issues faced by people around the world, and to get involved in activities, in our own communities and beyond, that lead to improved health.
This year’s focus is on food safety and, more specifically, keeping food safe from farm to plate. The goal is to highlight ways to protect the path that our food takes, making food safe for consumption.
Last week the World Health Organization released a news release sharing the impact of unsafe foods carrying harmful pathogens, including bacteria, viruses parasites and others, that cause more than 200 diseases, including diarrhea and cancer. Because of today’s global distribution, unsafe food can quickly impact communities locally as well as across the globe.
Pure Water for the World addresses these issues directly through our water, sanitation and hygiene projects that drastically improve the quality of food and food safety in communities we serve.
We work with families in rural and underserved areas of Haiti and Latin America, bringing access to improved water and sanitation. On top of that, we add in the essential step of hygiene training. Families learn to about the critical importance of safe hygiene practices. They learn to wash their hands before touching food or cooking utensils. They gain understanding about the need to wash fruit and vegetables in clean water and to keep food covered, away from bacteria carrying flies and insects. They learn how to keep their water sources safe. With the tools and knowledge of proper hygiene and sanitation habits, in combination with access to safe, clean water, these community members are experiencing measurable improvements in their health. And, the food they are preparing from farm to plate is now protected from the harmful pathogens.
This World Health Day, join us in creating healthier communities for children and their families. To learn more about the work we are doing, visit our site and see how water drastically improves food safety and community health.