Three shots at the latrine slab, and three at the toilet – using the power of football to promote safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene

WASH United is an innovative new campaign that takes advantage of the football fever across the continent leading up to the 2010 World Cup and engages African and international football stars as champions to promote safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all in Sub-Saharan Africa. More specifically, WASH United tackles taboos and helps to create demand for sanitation; promotes handwashing with soap; and advocates for water and sanitation as a human right.

Hosted by Brot für die Welt, WASH United brings together a broad alliance of partners organizations (including WaterAid, ANEW, the Ecumenical Water Network, WSSCC, the UN Independent Expert on water and sanitation, UNICEF, UNDP, GTZ, as well as key government agencies, including the German Federal Foreign Office, Swedish SIDA and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) who plan to bring the initiative to 9 target countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

WASH United is open to everyone. Everyone can join the club and support WASH United, whether football stars, political decision makers, organizations – and of course YOU.

WASH United just had its first big public appearance at the 2nd Africa Water Week in Johannesburg and it started off with a game. The "World Toilet Cup". In the end, more than 250 made a symbolic effort at tackling the crisis in access to sanitation in Africa by trying to kick as many brown "poo balls" into the latrines and toilets as they could. This included the Ministers in charge of water and sanitation of 15 African countries and other dignitaries, such as the Chairman of UNSGAB, HRH Willem Alexander of Orange. After playing the game, they all lifted the World Toilet Cup to raise the importance of safe sanitation, had their picture taken as a "Champion for WASH" and joined our social club.

Africa Water Week has underlined that football has enormous potential to engage people – including high level decision makers – on water, sanitation and hygiene issues. In 2010, with the first World Cup tournament ever to take place on African soil, the football fever will reach new levels all over the continent. A great opportunity for the water and sanitation sector to use football to promote WASH for all in Sub-Saharan Africa!

For more information contact Thorsten Kiefer, thorsten.kiefer@wash-united.org