February 24, 2009
British Consul General in New York thanks FT
Sir Alan and Lady Ann Collins with Chrystia Freeland (Managing Editor of the FT), Girish Menon (Director of International Operations, WaterAid), and Gregory Hodkinson (Chair, WaterAid America).
Marie-Helene Carleton/Four Corners Media
The British Consul General for New York, Sir Alan Collins KCVO CMG, and Lady Collins hosted a reception at their residence on February 4, 2009 to acknowledge the Financial Times (FT) for their Seasonal Appeal that benefited WaterAid.
Over 60 guests from the business, government, and international development
communities shared in the gracious hospitality and
demonstrated their commitment to WaterAid’s vision of a world where everyone has
access to safe water and basic sanitation. I am pleased to support the good work of WaterAid.
Sir Alan Collins, British Consul General, New York
Sir Alan welcomed the guests and spoke of his and Lady Ann’s personal experience of WaterAid’s work based on their early diplomatic posting in Ethiopia, home to one of WaterAid’s most established offices. He commented:
"I am pleased to support the good work of WaterAid, an organization founded by
the British water industry in 1981."
Referring to the internationally agreed poverty reduction targets, Sir Alan continued:
"The
British Government is committed to working towards the achievement of
the Millennium Development Goals, and I am pleased to acknowledge the
key role WaterAid is playing in making progress towards Goal Seven,
which includes targets to halve the proportions of people living
sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015."
Chrystia Freeland, US Managing Editor of the FT, noted that even during times of economic duress, the needs of the very poorest in the world must be at the fore.
Gregory Hodkinson, Chair of WaterAid America, spoke to the moral and economic imperative in addressing the water and sanitation crisis, while Girish Menon, Director of International Operations at WaterAid, described WaterAid’s approach to local partnerships and capacity building to ensure sustainable solutions.
The FT annual seasonal appeal ran from November 2008 to January 2009 and
included editorial coverage and fundraising appeals in international
editions of the renowned newspaper, and on the FT website.
FT reporters visited WaterAid programs in four countries and produced a series of articles, videos and slideshows on WaterAid's work
covering subjects from helping people affected by desertification
in Mali to empowering communities living in slums in Bangladesh's
capital city Dhaka.
Guests watching a video feature on how the water crisis affects women in Nepal, one of several videos and print articles produced by the FT as part of the campaign.
Marie-Helene Carleton/Four Corners Media
Guests at the event sampled the editorial coverage by watching a three minute video that followed an elderly woman in the mountains of Nepal on her daily journey to carry water up a steep, rocky trail.
WaterAid was selected for the appeal in a vote of FT staff around the world.
Read the articles about WaterAid's work published in the FT.(link opens in new window)
Make a donation to the FT appeal for WaterAid.