The international development organisation was born out of World Travel Market in 1998, and works to help the travel industry give back by bringing sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene projects to communities around the world.
The work of the charity is focused in Cambodia, India, Kenya, Nicaragua, Uganda and Zambia and implements solutions which best suit the needs of communities, such as rainwater harvesting systems, wells, sand dams, biosand filters, latrines, and sanitation and hygiene training.
Reaching more than 1.9 million people in 32 countries since it began, Just a Drop’s projects have also led to the development of food security, menstrual health and micro-finance programmes, which further support community development and economic growth.
With the support of the TTG Luxury Travel Awards, guests will be able to contribute to a specific project, with Just a Drop working in Kavuvwani Primary School in the arid Kitui County in Kenya, a school attended by 141 girls, 166 boys and 10 teaching staff, which currently has no access to a water source.
Kitui County is subject to severe droughts and communities lack access to water for drinking, growing crops and rearing livestock. The children at the school are forced to trek long distances to fetch water to bring into school; this means they often miss school because the queue for the borehole can take all day, and even if they do make it back in time, they are exhausted and unable to concentrate from the long and arduous work.
“At Just a Drop, we are absolutely delighted to be included in the TTG Luxury Travel Awards this year. This is a chance to celebrate the very best in the travel industry while also giving back to a relevant and important cause,” said founder Fiona Jeffery OBE.
“Kenya is at the heart of luxury safaris and bucket list trips but has also been ravaged by the worst drought in 40 years and building a school water tank will be transformational for the lives of 317 pupils and teachers and for many children in the years to come.”
This year, the TTG Luxury Travel Awards will look to fundraise the remaining £3,570 needed to construct a rainwater harvesting tank which will provide safe water for the whole school year round.
During the rainy season, the tank harvests rain collected from the roof of the school, enabling the children and teachers to access to year-round water. The tank will be decorated with positive hygiene messages to reinforce good handwashing practices. A sustainable focus also means the tank will last for many years and the local community will be taught how to fix it if it breaks.
Just a Drop will also construct handwashing stations across the school grounds, and work with the school to form a Health Club. Led by a teacher, the members of the Health Club become ambassadors of handwashing, encouraging their peers to wash their hands after using the bathroom and before eating, whilst also leading peer-to-peer learning sessions.
“We at TTG Media have always admired the work of Just a Drop and to be able to support it during our awards and throw a spotlight on the incredible work the team implements over and over again brings me great joy,” said April Hutchinson, editor of TTG Luxury. “I can’t wait for our awards for many reasons – even more so now I know we will be able to inspire and encourage the luxury travel sector to give as generously as they can at the event.”
The TTG Luxury Travel Awards will be held on Friday 24 February at The Biltmore Mayfair, London, with more than 270 guests expected to attend.
The awards are now heading into their fifth outing, with attendees at past events having given generously to charities including Crisis, Alzheimer’s Society and Breast Cancer Now.
All attendees this year will be able to buy raffle tickets for prizes including a beautiful Tiffany & Co gift from headline sponsor Silversea, and a night for two at London Conrad St James, a sister hotel of host venue The Biltmore Mayfair under Hilton’s luxury brand collection.
