Lomé, Togo--The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is set to
begin in June a one-year project that will improve access to safe drinking
water for approximately 13,500 people in nine villages in the Maritime
region of Togo.

Funded by the ADRA United Kingdom office for $118,000, the project will
provide access points for clean water, create local water committees to
manage the new water sources, and educate beneficiaries on improved health
and hygiene practices.

"Safe drinking water is simply not accessible to many rural villages in the
Maritime region. It is common for the same water source to be used for
drinking, bathing, and washing," says Todd Reese, country director for ADRA
Togo. "In some villages, women and girls spend hours each day walking to
their water source, which limits their educational opportunities," Reese
adds.

According to the United Nations Children's Agency (UNICEF), West Africa has
the lowest coverage of drinking water in the world and the situation is
getting worse. A recent report by the African Development Bank states that
only 56 percent of people in sub-Saharan Africa have access to improved
drinking water sources.

The health and hygiene education component of the project will empower
village members to improve and safeguard their health.
"Educating rural populations about basic health, hygiene, and proper
sanitation is the foundation of ADRA Togo's work and a critical element to
every project we implement," says Reese.

ADRA has been present in Togo since 1988 and is known for its work in the
Maritime region. The agency's Women's Empowerment projects, which have
focused on improving the lives of rural Togolese women, are also some of its
longest-running. Other projects focus on microcredit loans, rural health,
and HIV and AIDS awareness and education.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and
emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, gender, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.