While many of us drink fresh, clean, ice cold water on a daily basis, there are many people in the world that have to walk hours every single day in order to get water. The water they are able to find isn’t exactly optimal, either. This water can be full of bacteria, contaminants and other harmful viruses.

With about one billion people without safe water to drink throughout the world, this is definitely a problem that must be addressed.

 

The Risks of Drinking Unsafe Water

Have you ever seen what water starts to look like when it’s out in the open? Animals use it as a place to bathe and relieve themselves and algae and fungus run rapid. Now, take a moment to imagine you and your family having no choice but to drink that water on a regular basis. Scary thought, isn’t it? This is a reality for these one billion people every single day of their lives. Many people become extremely ill, especially women, children and the elderly and there is nothing they can do about it.

 

Not Having Water Nearby Affects Many Aspects of These People’s Lives

Can you imagine needing to walk three hours every single day in order to get enough water for your family just to last you that one day?

This is the sad reality for many people around the globe. Not only is the water these people are drinking unhealthy but it is very hard for them to access. It affects their daily lives in so many ways. Those who are able to work are typically sick much of the time due to the low quality water they are drinking. Children aren’t able to get the educations they deserve and women are unable to work. When it takes so much time and energy just to get your daily water, there isn’t much time to get anything else done. Imagine still needing to care for your children, cook and clean during the day. It would be impossible to maintain a job or go to school.

 

How to Give Clean Water

 

Another negative affect that dirty water has on these peoples’ lives is through their crops.

Much of the time, there is also not enough water to keep their fields properly watered. This means, a lot of food never has the chance to grow and this leads to villages with much less food than they need. With high quality water that is readily available, food becomes more stable.

 

Unnecessary Risk Factors

Those who are sent to retrieve water are exposed to many risk factors that are preventable. They are forced to walk through traitorous tertian that is not only exhausting for them but also very dangerous. Many people get injured along the way or even attacked by animals or other people. Typically, each individual is carrying about 40 pounds on their back, which makes them extremely vulnerable each and every time they walk the long distances.

Drinking unhealthy water for the short term can cause health problems such as dehydration and diarrhea. Over the long term, health is greatly affected and many people die; especially young children and women. In a single minute about three children are said to die due to low quality water.

Having clean water readily available can mean saving families large amounts of money on their health care. This money could be put to much better use for their families to get them new clothes and the food they need.

Water truly affects everything. It is used to bathe, to drink, added to food and so much more. Simply adding clean water to these peoples’ lives can change every aspect of their life; restoring their hope and giving them a much brighter future.

 

What You Can Do To Make a Difference

If you are considering helping the cause and giving those in need the clean water they so desperately need, you can take part in The Water Project. What’s so great about this project is the fact that you are actually able to choose where your money is going. We’ll discuss that in depth later, but first – let’s talk about just how far your money goes.

Where Your Donation Goes

Wondering exactly what your donation can do?

  • A mere $10-$20 can give one person access to clean water,
  • $100 can help an entire family,
  • and $500 can bring water to a whole classroom.

As you can see, every little bit counts and adds up quickly.

Whether you want to donate money to wells near schools so children can get their proper education without missing as much school, select a specific area of Asia, Africa or Latin America that is in need or you choose the option “Where Most Needed”, you are going to be able to track the progress of the specific well project you have selected. It truly is an amazing feeling to be able to track exactly what is going on and see the final product once everything is completed. While not all of us are able to afford to physically go to these locations and help out, seeing where you money is going is definitely the next best thing.

 

Other Ways You Can Help Out

Even if you aren’t able to donate, spreading the word can make a huge difference. It costs about $5,000 to install a well in a village and while that may sound like a large amount of money, the number of lives it changes is absolutely amazing. Even if you can only afford to donate $1 or $5, this money goes to a fantastic cause that is going to give many people a completely new lease on life.

 

Sponsor Your Very Own Well Project

If you want to make an even larger impact, you may want to consider sponsoring your very own well. You can choose to do this alone, with your friends and family or even with your church. Depending on the project, less than $10,000 is typically enough to prepare, build and finalize a water project. Here is more information on how to Sponsor a Well in Africa and how that whole process works. There you can find frequently asked questions as well as everything you need to get started and help those in need.

Purchase or Give Gifts that Help

If you do not feel comfortable giving money, you may want to check out The Water Project Shop. There you can find a wide range of items for sale from water bottles, clothing items and coffee tumblers. Every penny of your purchase goes to building wells in countries and villages in need.

 

Would you like a career helping others? Visit Third Sector Jobs, a charity recruitment firm to find out more

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