The buzz from the African Cup of Nations has hardly died away and June 2010 is fast approaching, the start of the first football World Cup on African soil. Just at the right time, comes WASH United, an innovative initiative that promotes WASH through sport.

WASH United takes advantage of the burgeoning football fever all over Africa and engages African and international football stars as Champions to promote safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all.

More specifically, WASH United:

• tackles taboos and helps to create demand for sanitation;

• promotes handwashing with soap, and

• advocates for access to water and sanitation as a human right.

YOU can join this social club and become a Champion for WASH

WASH United is designed as a club based on membership. Anyone in the world – ordinary people, political decision makers, organisations, and of course YOU – can join this social club and become a Champion for WASH, side by side with football superstars and other celebrities.

WASH United is currently developing a comprehensive mix of communication measures, including posters, audio and video clips featuring football stars, briefing materials for political decision makers, public screening events, and innovative tool kits to promote WASH through play in schools and football clubs, such as the “World Toilet Cup” game.

Sub-Saharan Africa target groups

The main target groups for activities in Sub-Saharan Africa are children, adolescents and families, political decision makers and relevant government bodies, civil society organisations, schools, football clubs (particularly school and junior teams), and the media. Activities in the North are aimed at political decision makers, the general public and the media. The main target countries are Ghana, Mali, South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania and Burkina Faso. WASH United materials will also be made available in other countries.

From April to mid July 2010

The main roll-out phase of the campaign will be from April to mid July 2010. International partners include Brot für die Welt, WSSCC, ANEW, End Water Poverty, the UN Independent Expert on water and sanitation, WaterAid, UNDP, and GTZ, among others.

WASH United will work with and through project partners’ country offices, networks, and national and local partner organisations and institutions (non-governmental as well as governmental) to implement activities in the target countries – and beyond.

First public appearance

WSSCC Executive Director, at the World Toilet Cup, Africa Water Week, November 2009.

In November 2009, WASH United had its first public appearance at the second Africa Water Week in Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 250 visitors, including the Ministers and Deputies in charge of water and sanitation of 14 African countries and other dignitaries, such as HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange, joined WASH United and participated in the “World Toilet Cup” football game, making a symbolic effort at tackling the crisis in access to sanitation in Africa by trying to kick as many brown "poo balls" as possible into latrines and toilets. A short video clip showing some of these “Champions for WASH” is available on the WASH United website: www.wash-united.org.

For further information, please contact Virginia Roaf: virginia.roaf@wash-united.org

Tags: africa, information and communication, sanitation, water supply