U.S. Ambassador Commemorates World Water Day 2010

March 22, 2010

Celebrating World Water Day with children of Sanjay Gandhi camp, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

New Delhi: The U.S. Ambassador to India, Timothy J. Roemer, commemorated World Water Day, by launching a new United States Agency for International Development (USAID) initiative, "Saathi Bachpan Ke" (Alliance for Healthy Childhood) at a festival in the Sanjay Gandhi Camp in Chankayapuri, New Delhi.

The Alliance brings together corporate and non-governmental partners, who will work towards improved awareness, knowledge, and behaviors to reduce water-related diarrheal diseases in children under five by promoting effective hand washing, diarrhea prevention and management, and water purification methods.

The festival featured interactive display booths and various activities organized by the alliance partners, which included Sesame Workshop, Sulabh International, Medentech, Population Services International, Tata Chemicals Limited, and Sanofi-Aventis.

Launching the initiative, Ambassador Roemer said, "I look forward to the great news of the people of our two countries working together in partnership to ensure that no child dies from a preventable water-related disease and that no girl fears going to school for lack of access to a separate toilet, that no family goes hungry because they can’t grow the food they need to survive, and that those who are most in need have access to water, that most precious element of life."