Dec. 13, 2013 -- Winners of the annual London-based Stars Foundation 2013 Impact Awards were recently announced and selected from more than 1,300 applications from 60 different countries.
The Stars Foundation, a charity organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and their communities worldwide, selected the award recipients in recognition of their excellence in providing frontline services to disadvantaged communities and children.
This year, for the first time, the Stars Foundation has included a category for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), awarding two extraordinary charities in India and Uganda:
Gram Vikas, India
Award winner Gram Vikas works to eradicate open defecation in villages across the Indian state of Orissa. Throughout India, open defecation is widely prevalent, and an absence of toilets is a chronic problem. Further, contamination of drinking water sources results in diarrhea, cholera, jaundice, typhoid, and scabies.
However, with 80 percent of diseases being waterborne and easily preventable, Vikas ensures access to piped water facilities and construction of squat toilets in each household within a community. Sustainability and community ownership is the focus of Vikas’ approach.
No community will receive assistance unless every household agrees and contributes the equivalent of £12.50 ($20.50) for future maintenance costs. Helping over 3,500 children gain access to toilets, 8,000 were also supported for immunization, healthcare and education services by Vikas in the last year.
