WaterAid Canada helps provides clean water, decent toilets and hygiene knowledge to an international group of charity recipients in areas with insufficient sanitation infrastructure. Through a partnership with Merit Travel Group, there is an #Auction4Action campaign running until April 23rd that will fundraise through an online auction with money raised going to fund twelve obstetric and neonatal care clinics across Tanzania. We recently chatted with MTG about their involvement and how we can get involved.
Describe your charity/non-profit in a few sentences.
Merit Travel Group has joined forces with WaterAid Canada to help raise funds for new water and sanitation services at twelve obstetric and neonatal care clinics across Tanzania. Merit Travel Auction 4 Action opened for bidding on World Water Day (March 22), with all of the auction’s proceeds going towards WaterAid’s Tanzania: Deliver Life Program.
What problem does it aim to solve?
The Tanzania: Deliver Life Program aims to deliver clean water and sanitation services to over 660,000 people through its twelve health clinics by 2020, with Merit Travel Group’s support. There are many families in Tanzania and surrounding communities that lack these basic necessities and we aim to help fix that problem.
When did you start/join it?
Merit Travel Group has supported WaterAid Canada through financial donations as well as corporate and travel sponsorship since 2016 raising over $200,000, with $86,000 raised for WaterAid in 2018 alone.
What made you want to get involved?
As a global travel company, we believe in paying it forward to those communities that positively impact the travel experience of our clients.
What was the situation like when you started?
Many local health clinics in Tanzania did not have clean water on site or anywhere nearby. The clinic often asked patients to bring water with them to the clinic, particularly for delivering babies. The risk of cross-infection and disease grew exponentially when water and sanitation conditions were not properly managed. As a result, many health facilities, which were supposed to promote good health and recovery, ended up compromising the health of both patients and staff.
How has it changed since?
We have assisted in the creation of new infrastructure, the commissioning of biomedical waste facilities and tools at all 12 clinics, as well as building the capacity of health care workers in Tanzania.
What more needs to be done?
These and many more issues of water scarcity are of paramount importance to WaterAid and Merit Travel’s initiative, aiming to address and solve some of the very serious water, sanitation and hygiene needs in health care facilities across Tanzania. Unfortunately, there is always more to be done in similar rural regions.
How can our readers help?
Readers can visit the auction until April 23 to bid on an array of fantastic travel rewards in the Merit Travel Auction 4 Action. Some of the items available for bidding are a 7-Night All-Inclusive Package for 2, $1,000 CAD travel voucher, and more. All of the auction’s proceeds are going toward WaterAid Canada’s Tanzania: Deliver Life Program.
Do you have any events coming up?
Our online auction is open until April 23rd – please visit, check out the awesome items available to bid on, and help us support this urgent cause.
Where can we follow you?
You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates and information on how to get involved.
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MeritTravel
https://twitter.com/wateraidcanada
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MeritTravel/
https://www.facebook.com/wateraidcanada/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/merittravel/
https://www.instagram.com/wateraidcanada/
