Auda's Campaign for Water

For those that know me, know that I am a huge advocate for our youth. As an educator, I have dedicated my time to serving children in need. The Water Project Organization is something that I came across in my research that opened by eyes to an issue that most of us take for granted...water. The Water Project helps end the water crisis by providing access to clean, safe and reliable water across Sub-Saharan Africa.

As I sit here looking at images of young people from Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda (to name a few) struggling due to lack of clean water, it hits me pretty deep. In the images and videos, I saw hundreds of children walking long distances with their jugs in hand to fetch for (unsanitary) water while still maintaining a smile and a look of optimism. I noticed the color of the water and couldn't help but think of the health risks associated with the unsafe water they consume daily. While I sat back and fought back tears, it really hit me how deep this problem is. For me, the motivation for taking this on is the children in Africa. As an educator, the thing that struck me is that there are millions of children who can’t attend school because they walk for miles & miles just to get clean water for their family.

On the website it states, “For girls, the situation is especially troublesome. If schools do not have proper toilets, girls drop out once they reach puberty. Further, it is typically the responsibility of the women to fetch water thus limiting their access to both education and business opportunities. Think about it: everyday, women and young girls carry more than 40 pounds of dirty water from sources over 4 miles away from their homes. This leaves little time for education which is critical to changing the long term prospects of developing nations. A good education begins with access to safe water and proper sanitation.”

In my research, I have learned that many of the students' academic performance and attendance rate suffer because they have to fetch water, care for sick parents and siblings or suffer from hunger or water-related disease themselves. This must change. Studies show that children with improved school attendance and grades will have a better chance of obtaining good work opportunities as adults. Today, too many children suffer needlessly - walking miles for dirty water that eventually makes them sick. You and I can change that.

I hope you'll consider joining me to fund this water project. With your donation and support, we can provide clean, safe and reliable water to a community in Africa. Also, you can help me spread the word to others! You are welcome to share my page to your friends and family.

Thank you,

Auda