Sage Kazz

Without water, a human cannot survive more than three days. As one of the fundamental needs in life, one would believe that this resource is easily accessible to all, however, that’s not the case. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), a study published in 2019 shows that “globally, more than 785 million people did not have access to at least basic water services and more than 884 million people did not have safe water to drink.” Some people in Africa, mostly daughters, have to walk miles to collect their water. To put this into perspective, the average American, according to the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), uses 82 gallons of water a day at home. That means to gather that water that we take for granted, these girls have to walk more than 14 miles, carrying 20 gallons. However, we have the power to change the numbers. This year Westridge will be supporting four different campaigns, two of which are in our very own country.
Appalachia, spanning 13 states, is home to 25 million people. Shockingly, some cities here don’t have access to clean running water, thanks to old pipelines or lack of funding to connect new ones. This year our goal is to fund, for six homes, piped water. Imagine going to take a shower and there being no water or washing your hands, only to find the water is brown. These are the conditions many in Appalachia face daily, but we can make sure that six fewer families don’t have to.
A school with six hundred and three children and teachers in Uganda are forced, thanks to the lack of running water and funding, to collect water from streams and watering holes. Not only are their studies disrupted, but the streams nearby are also contaminated and unsafe. However, they have no other way to get this precious resource. Imagine having to walk every day for that sip of water between classes or during lunch. This problem is common, as it is seen in other schools as well, but it has a relatively simple fix. All they ask is for the money to build one well.
Much like in Uganda, 136 students and faculty in Kenya have no access to clean water, other than their singular well that holds nowhere near enough. Students are many times asked to bring water from home, which leaves them exhausted by their arrival. Not only that, hygiene practices and meal preparation are interrupted by the lack of this basic necessity. Coupled with COVID-19, this poses an enormous threat to the safety and health of these students and teachers. Together we can supply them with a rain tank, handwashing stations, six new latrines, along with COVID-19, hygiene, and health training. Every dollar counts, and together we can make a change in the lives of hundreds!