TAKE ACTION: Combatting the World Water Crisis

Water can change everything when it comes to rebuilding communities and providing clean drinking water. We’ll let charity:water explain that part from the community standpoint:

1. The walk for water that used to take everyone here three hours, now takes 15 minutes. And the water is safe to drink.

2. A hygiene worker teaches your village the importance of sanitation. Your community builds latrines and sets up handwashing stations.

3. You join the Water Committee to oversee your village’s new water source. As a woman, this is your first local leadership position.

4. You use the extra time and new water source to start a vegetable garden and feed your family. You sell your extra food at the market.

5. Your kids spend more time in school instead of walking for water. They graduate to become teachers, hygiene workers or business owners.

6. A nearby village learns how water transformed your community. They petition for a well in their village, and the cycle starts again.

Adding it up: The Return.

Every $1 invested in improved water access and sanitation yields an average of $12 in economic returns, depending on the project.

Even in regions prone to natural disasters, water infrastructure has proven to be a smart investment, sometimes reducing flood damage or disease rates among survivors. Clean water transforms lives, communities and generations — and at a surprisingly low cost. Just $20 can provide clean water for one person for 20 years.

How You Can Help

1. Inform Your Network, Break Your Silence

This is a bold step. How do we get others to care about providing clean drinking water to those who have none? How do we as individuals combat the World Water Crisis? Step number 1 is to be informed yourself. You can do that by visiting the World Water Crisis section of our website everyday, which is located on our homepage under the Genocide and Human Trafficking sections.

2. Advocate for Those Affected by the World Water Crisis

Many people do not know that the World Water Crisis even exists. For many of us, we view turning on our faucets and having clean water come out as a normalcy, not a blessing. For over one billion, that blessing is nonexistent. Here are a few things you can do:

• Show people you are serious and give $20 to our charity:water Campaign.
• Point people you come in contact with that want to learn more about the World Water Crisis to our website!
• Ask to speak at your church or school about the World Water Crisis.

3. Raise Money:

There are many things individuals can do to raise funds for combating the World Water Crisis. Here are a few examples of how you can raise money for our charity:water Campaign. All of the money goes to fighting this crisis:

• Host a small fundraiser at home (dinner party, poker tournament, movie night) and donate the proceeds.
• Get your church, school, business and friends involved. Ask for your church or business to host a fundraiser and give the money to our Campaign.

The possibilities to take action are endless and to many to list here. Take your creativity as far as you can with it!

Photo courtesy of charity:water.