The Partnership
Just a Drop was started by Fiona Jeffery OBE in 1998, shortly after Fiona learnt that a child dies every two minutes as a result of dirty water. Having recently become a mother, it was an issue close to her heart, so, when Fiona found out that just £1 could provide safe water to a child, she felt she had to do something, and Just a Drop was born.
Landing at Reed Exhibitions in the mid-Eighties when World Travel Market was in its infancy, Fiona rose through the ranks to become Chairman, helping to turn the annual event into one of the biggest B2B travel events in the world. She recognised that in using the world as its livelihood – by sending people on holiday – the travel industry was perfectly placed to give something back, and World Travel Market (WTM) became the place that Just a Drop was born. WTM became a vehicle for change – asking exhibitors to add £20 onto the price of their stand which would then be invested into Just a Drop’s safe water projects across the world.
Some of the largest travel industry players have donated thousands over the years to Just a Drop and many of those supporters still play a huge part in supporting the charity today. This is in part down to the support of WTM enabling Just a Drop to remain a respected charity rooted in the travel industry.
Our partnership with WTM London and ATM has grown and we’re pleased to acknowledge them as our ‘Founding Partner’!
Between them, WTM London and ATM have supported 19 projects including across seven countries, enabling 30,899 people to access safe, clean water!
- El Fashir Golo & Seillei Villages in Sudan supporting 5,290 people
- Tidene Valley Sakafet and Tarnezlak Villages in the Sahara Desert in Niger supporting 15000 people
- Manpura Village in India supporting 600 people
- Jagasya Village in India supporting 302 people
- Kithyululu & Kwa Mbotoe Schools in Kenya supporting 435 people
- Butega Parish Community in Uganda supporting 1730 people
- Kwa Mbotoe in Kenya supporting 435 people
- Kayabwe Village, Nkozi Parish in Uganda supporting 950 people
- Mpumpule Community in Zambia supporting 160 people
- Fundanga Community in Zambia supporting 190 people
- Norah Junior School in Uganda supporting 437 people
- 4 School Biosand Filters in Norah, St Mark, Elly, St Aloysious schools, supporting 1279 people
- Kashitu Borehole Repair Project in Zambia supporting 1284 people
- La Ceiba Village in Nicaragua supporting 173 people
Rincon Village project in Nicaragua supporting 310 people - St. Augustine Mwingi Boys Secondary School in Kenya supporting 688 people
- Kwaithi Secondary School in Kenya supporting 191 people
- Santa Isabel School, Terrabona in Nicaragua supporting 47 people
- Katethya SHG Sand Dam in Kenya supporting 1,398 people
- In 2024, ATM supported Santa Isabel School in Nicaragua to access safe water and sanitation all year round. To find out more and read their blog please click here.
Another great example of their support, is the project at Mpumpule village in Zambia, where the community had no clean water at all – Just a Drop with WTM and ATM drilled a borehole and installed a hand pump in an accessible location. This is the experience on one of the village’s residents:
Doris is 34 years old and a mother of no less than 12 children. She explained to us before the project that the water in the river had mostly dried up, with only small ponds and stagnant water. It was dirty, with dead leaves and a bad smell and snakes also lived close by. The water affected the health of all the family. We met up with Doris again after the project was completed. She was very excited to tell us that since the new borehole was drilled, a new school with 35 pupils has started close by. She also said distance to fetch water has been reduced from 3km to less than 1km – the time saved can now be used for other activities at school. The water is clean and health much improved.
Thanks to the support of WTM and ATM, Doris’ life has rapidly improved and we’re very grateful for this support.
