Ads invite Canadians to fight the global water crisis through proven and affordable solutions
CALGARY, March 5, 2014 /CNW/ - Samaritan's Purse is launching a national TV, radio, and online ad campaign that invites Canadians to join in fighting the global water crisis. The Christian relief and development organization, which has provided safe water solutions to more than 1.2 million people in the developing world so far, asks Canadians to help build more water filters, storage tanks, and reservoirs.
One of the campaign's two 30-second TV ads begins with a comforting scene in which a young mother is in her baby's nursery, listening to a lullaby and feeding the child with a bottle. Only when the camera comes close is it apparent that the bottle is filled with badly contaminated water. "Your child doesn't drink dirty water," viewers are told. "But millions in the developing world do."
The ad ends with footage of Ugandan boys filling water jugs from a filthy pond—a reality that hundreds of millions of children and adults face in Africa, Asia and Latin America—followed by the Change That campaign website (ChangeThat.ca) for Canadians to respond. The second Change That campaign ad follows a similar pattern, but this time, the opening scene is a family having an idyllic summer picnic in a park. The TV ads serve as the basis for related radio and online ads.
"We hope the campaign will help Canadians realize safe drinking water is precious—and not something to take for granted, because almost 770 million people worldwide are desperately trying to survive without it," said Fred Weiss, Executive Director of Samaritan's Purse Canada.
"Our Water Projects are providing safe water to more than one million people every day. But with someone—usually a child—dying from diseases caused by dirty water about every 20 seconds, the need for more safe water is very urgent," Weiss added. "We're asking Canadians to help us."
The "Change That" TV, radio, and online ads will begin appearing Saturday, March 8. They're also available—with detailed information about Samaritan's Purse's entire Water Projects program—at ChangeThat.ca. The campaign will continue through March 22, the United Nations' World Water Day.
Canadians' financial support has already provided more than 200,000 families in the developing world with Samaritan's Purse BioSand Water Filters. The filter is a Canadian invention that uses layers of sand, gravel, and naturally occurring micro-organisms to transform dirty water into clean water in seconds. Several independent studies have confirmed the filters' effectiveness.
Samaritan's Purse has been building and installing family-size BioSand Filters in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia since the 1990s. The relief and development organization also invites Canadians to fund larger water filters for schools, wells, rainwater reservoirs, and storage tanks.
Other important components of Samaritan's Purse Water Projects are latrine construction and health and hygiene training that provide families, schools, and communities with the equipment and knowledge to further prevent disease and contamination, and to help realize the greatest health benefits.
"Drinking dirty water causes potentially deadly diarrheal diseases such as dysentery and cholera," Weiss said. "When children are sick with diarrhea, they can't attend school. When their parents are sick, they can't earn incomes or care for their families. Providing safe water through something as affordable as a $150 BioSand Water Filter transforms families, communities, and entire regions."
Donations Urgently Needed
Canadians can donate at ChangeThat.ca or by calling 1.800.663.6500.
About Samaritan's Purse
Samaritan's Purse is an international Christian relief and development organization working in about 110 countries worldwide to help victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, and persecution. The charity also operates the well-known Operation Christmas Child program that sends gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children around the world each year. To learn more, visit SamaritansPurse.ca.
Video with caption: "VIDEO: Samaritan's Purse Baby Bottle TV Spot - "Change That" Water Campaign". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfNR5Mz5Nu4
Image with caption: "Baby Bottle (CNW Group/Samaritan's Purse Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140305_C8941_PHOTO_EN_37456.jpg
Image with caption: "Boys and Dirty Water (CNW Group/Samaritan's Purse Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140305_C8941_PHOTO_EN_37457.jpg
SOURCE: Samaritan's Purse Canada
Media Inquiries
Frank King
Communications Manager
Samaritan's Purse Canada
1-800-663-6565 (ext. 8720)
403-990-0161 (mobile)
[email protected]
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