Giving Tuesday - "Deck the Stalls" with Blood:Water Mission

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --(Business Wire)--

To increase awareness of the global sanitation needs, non-profit organization Blood:Water Mission launches its alternative Christmas gifting campaign by inviting donors to "Deck the Stalls" in support of their new latrine initiative in northern Rwanda. The funds will go toward providing latrines and sanitation education in the area, where recently Blood:Water completed providing safe water for the entire 7,000 people in the community through rain catchment tanks.

"We are thrilled that women no longer have to walk miles and miles to access water," said Executive Director Jena Nardella, "but now we have to take the next step in transforming the health and dignity of this community, and that's through latrines."

Blood:Water Mission is partnering with a local community in the mountainous region of Cyanika, Rwanda to provide latrines to 2,600 people in an effort to continue reducing disease in the area. Because of the volcanic terrain in the region, Blood:Water has been doing significant research to introduce a unique latrine technology suitable for the area along with a pilot sanitation education program.

Although access to safe water will improve a community's health by 21 percent, improved hygiene practices (like proper hand-washing) and access to sanitation facilities (like a latrine) along with safe water will improve a community's health by 65 percent. "Water programs must be implemented with sanitation and hygiene programs to truly be sustainable and holistic," says Nardella.

With a donation of $50, donors can "Deck the Stalls" and provide access to a latrine for one person. You can help Blood:Water reach their goal of $130,000 by visiting www.bloodwatermission.com.

About Blood:Water Mission

Blood:Water Mission is a non-profit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee, established to empower communities to work against the HIV/AIDS and water crises in sub-Saharan Africa through creative grassroots efforts.

Founded by multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award winning band, Jars of Clay, Blood:Water Mission began in 2005 as a call to personalize the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. After funding a late stage AIDS hospice and discovering the vital link between living with HIV/AIDS and the need for clean, safe water, Blood:Water launched nation-wide effort to provide clean water and sanitation to 1000 communities in sub-Saharan Africa based on the equation that $1 provides one African with clean water for an entire year.

Since its launch, Blood:Water has raised millions of dollars through the creative efforts of hundreds of thousands of individuals seeking to make a difference, providing for the completion of the 1000 Wells Project at the end of 2010. To date, Blood:Water has partnered with more than 1,100 communities in Africa, providing life-saving water for over 700,000 people in 11 different countries and access to HIV/AIDS education, treatment and support for over 30,000 people. For more information and to get involved, visit www.bloodwatermission.com or follow on twitter, @bloodwater.