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Money raised by Walk 4 Water in May to aid African village
(LOVELAND, CO)---For most Americans, accessing water takes little more effort than walking to the kitchen faucet. Yet for millions of people in Africa, getting something to drink is far from that simple. Starting at about 10 or 11 years old, girls will spend about a quarter of their day trekking to the nearest water source. The typical walk is about 4.5 miles one way — with a large canister to fill. And when they do finally reach the water, the source is often no more than a muddy puddle shared by animals and mosquitos, and often ripe with disease. In fact, because of water- borne diseases, about 50 percent of babies in Uganda die before they’re 5 years old, said Loveland’s Carolyn Griebe. Griebe, who recently spent a month in the African nation, has seen how difficult and dangerous this system can be. “The girls walk 6 kilometers each day, every day, to get dirty water,” she said. “Then so many babies die from dysentery.” Griebe and those involved with Hope 4 Kids International want to break this cycle, starting with one Ugandan village. And they’re asking Lovelanders to help. This May, coordinators will host a Walk 4 Water event, raising money to build a water well in Kajarau, Uganda. During the fundraiser, participants will be asked to walk a 6K — the average distance trekked to water by African women every day. “Not only will this help drill a well in Kajarau,” Griebe said, “but it’s also an opportunity to educate walkers about what life is like in Uganda.” While the event isn’t until May 7, coordinators are asking participants to sign up now and begin finding sponsors to support them and the cause. Walk 4 Water hopes to raise the $10,500 needed to drill the well in Kajarau when Griebe returns in November. By tapping into the deep underground pools and filtering the water, the pump well will provide clean water to the village’s 4,000 residents. Griebe and others will help form a committee among the villagers, too, to teach them about water diseases and the importance of using the well. Angie Simon, of Hope 4 Kids International based in Phoenix, has seen what a difference a well and training can make in an African village. “Having a safe, reliable source of water drastically transforms an entire community,” she said in an e-mail. Thousands of people are saved from dehydration and other waterborne diseases, while their hygiene is improved. Additionally, girls who once spent most of their day fetching water are able to spend more time in school. “It allows them to spend more time ... focusing on education rather than the basic needs of survival,” Simon said. Griebe hopes Lovelanders will help bring the same changes to Kajarau by fundraising for the well. “It’s a way to bless people in a village,” she said, noting that the well should last about 30 years. “Hundreds of thousands of lives will be saved.” By Sarah Bultema Loveland Reporter-Herald |
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