Pope Benedict XVI has backed a universal 'right to water' in a message sent from the Vatican to an international conference on the issue of Water and Sustainable Development, taking place in Zaragoza, Spain.

World Vision has launched its Alternative Gifts’ Christmas catalogue, encouraging the UK public to buy Alternative Gifts this Christmas and help make a life-changing difference to families and communities living with poverty around the world.

Churches in Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo, are launching emergency distributions of water and warning of ‘disastrous’ water shortages that could lead to diseases like cholera.

Integrated solutions are needed to the problems of water supply, sanitation and protection of the environment, according to the 'Churches for Water in Africa' conference.

A 21-25 May 2007 conference in Entebbe, Uganda, to be opened by Uganda's minister of water and environment, will discuss the role of churches and communities in facing up to the African water crisis.

International development agency Christian Aid is launching a new campaign and fundraising initiative for March 2007 ‚Ä' designed especially for five to 16 year olds, and concerned to help ‚Äúflush out‚Äù poverty. Almost literally.

A company based in the north of England is continuing to help save the lives of poor people in some 50 countries across the globe ‚Ä' by partnering with Christian Aid, the UK development agency, and by encouraging offices and public buildings to buy and use water coolers which donate a percentage of costs to water projects in the developing world.