TORONTO – Photoshopped images of Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary without clean water and proper sanitation facilities highlight a global crisis.
WaterAid released the images Friday to raise awareness of the importance of water and sanitation to mark the charity’s launch in Canada, having merged with WaterCan.
The images show men, women and children collecting water in basins from unsafe sources and depict scenes of unhealthy living conditions against the skyline for four Canadian cities.
“By taking scenes of people without safe water and sanitation, which are far too common in many developing countries, and placing them in our own cities, we’re hoping to highlight this global crisis,” said Peter Allen, chief executive for WaterAid Canada, in a release. “It might not be happening on our doorstep, but it is something we cannot ignore as we can help end this injustice.”
The image from Ottawa depicts people collecting water from the Rideau Canal with Parliament Hill in the background.
In Vancouver, a woman is shown getting water from a lake in front of imposing high-rise buildings and the mountains.
The image from Calgary shows women carrying heavy jerry cans of dirty water collected from the river near the Peace Bridge, with the financial district in the background.
According to the registered charity, more than 1,400 children die a day as a result of diarrhea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.
Comments