WASH United harnesses the enormous power of sport and the role model status of sport stars to catalyse social change. WASH United’s first campaign focuses on football. 

There is hardly a societal activity that reaches and is loved by more people than football. In Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, national teams are the pride of nations and their star players national celebrities and role models for millions, above all for children and adolescents. In 2010, with the first World Cup to take place on the African continent, football stars will be more in the spotlight than ever before.

WASH United has teamed up with African and international football stars, who act as Champions for safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, WASH United harnesses the power of sport through football-based games to raise awareness of the centrality of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene to success in life and in sport and to facilitate life-saving behaviour change. True champions use toilets when available and always wash their hands with soap! Together we can show diarrhoea the red card!

Football is not the only sport that can be used to promote safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all. In South Asia, for example, it is cricket stars who are the biggest role models for children and adolescents. Preparing for the 2011 World Cricket Championships in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, WASH United is already developing activities using cricket to promote WASH for all. Additional sports are in the pipeline.