Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge or filling your water bottle up are actions that we do as second nature. We don’t even question them anymore. But there are many, many places in the world where clean water is not something that can be taken for granted because its availability is not always guaranteed.

The issue of clean water insecurity and the crisis that has swept many different countries is one that needs to be addressed. Thus, the We Walk for Water initiative was created to address the global water crisis by fundraising for wells that would provide clean water for communities in need. The charity had two primary goals. One was to raise awareness on the crisis of clean and safe drinking water. Two was to raise funds to help counteract this crisis. One of the main ways that the organization is able to achieve both of these goals is through simulated walk fundraisers. These walks simulate the distances that many individuals have to travel in communities to have access to clean water. While participants walk the same distance that they do, they often walk it without the extra weight from weather and terrain. By the end of the walk, hopefully participants understand the true journey that many individuals have to take in order to have access to needed water. Alongside this deeper understanding, they are also able to raise money to construct wells in these communities that eliminates the need for community members to travel these distances.

After learning about this through Mrs. Juska’s 9th grade English class reading, the students of Brewster High School decided to take action. They were brainstorming different ways to help those in South Sudan get access to clean and safe drinking water and came up with a plan. They would hold a fundraiser every year symbolizing the journey that many girls take in South Sudan multiple times a day. Through making this walk, they would understand truly what those in South Sudan had to endure while also raising money to build much needed wells. After holding these fundraisers for a few years, We Walk for Water at Brewster High School has raised over $40,000 (and counting!), funding the installment of six wells in South Sudan. Mrs. Juska is currently planning their annual walk and is on the road to funding a seventh well.

The creation of these wells also addresses educational concerns both for those learning about the need for clean water and those who are in need of the water. For those who are learning about the need for clean water, they get a broader and deeper understanding into the trials and tribulations that members of these communities face every single day to access the things they need. They have a better understanding of the things they are lucky to have within their reach. While the community members are now able to attend school more often which many of them say they love to do. Many members of the community do not always have time to attend school as walking to and from the water source a couple times a day does not leave much time for other activities. Many of these people want to be students in a classroom, but the need for clean water is more prevalent. When these wells are constructed, more people can get back into the classroom as safe drinking water is no longer so far out of their reach.

This is why fundraisers like We Walk for Water are extremely important to become involved in. Whether you donate, walk, or both, gaining an understanding of an issue that may not directly impact you, but impacts thousands of others is always valuable.