India (MNN) — A report released earlier this month by UNICEF states one-third of the world’s impoverished children live in India. Even though India’s economy is growing and likely to overtake the United States’ by 2030, hundreds of millions of Indian children lack essentials like food and clean water.
Sickness caused by drinking dirty water is a cyclical challenge caused by and linked to poverty. There were more than 69 million registered cases of water-related illness in India between 2012 and 2017. India Partners’ Donna Glass says many people affected by dirty water live at or below the global poverty line.
“They don’t see a way out of their poverty because when they’re sick they can’t earn money,” Glass explains. “The money they do earn is going to the doctors. Children aren’t getting an education.
“There’s not much hope there.”
Each year on March 22, World Water Day highlights the plight of people who have no access to clean water. Glass is asking you to be part of the solution through India Partners.
Next Gear Solutions raised money for India Partners on World Water Day.
(Photo courtesy of India Partners)
“There are ways to get involved, and maybe get your coworkers and friends and family involved, in helping to raise funds to put a well in in India.”
Providing safe water for those in need
Through India Partners’ “Safe Water” program, you can provide health and wellness to a rural community in India. First, India Partners’ in-country cohorts install a well. Then, they lead a WASH (Water, Access, Sanitation and Hygiene) program that teaches people the importance of hygienic practices to help prevent diseases and saves lives.
Each well costs $5,300 to install, Glass explains. That’s a bit much for the average family budget! Instead, she suggests organizing a group fundraiser. Friends at Next Gear Solutions did this last year.
“They collected pledges for how many laps they could walk carrying a container with two-and-a-half gallons of water. That’s a lot of water, and that’s about what the women and children in India are carrying,” says Glass.
Villagers gathered to celebrate a new well, installed with money raised by Next Gear Solutions.
(Photo courtesy of India Partners)
“It was so successful that they raised enough funds to fund not one but two wells in India.”
Interested in helping India Partners provide clean water? Click here to send them an email.
“We’re just really grateful to the team of 30 people at Next Gear who took this on into their hearts,” Glass concludes.
Header and story images courtesy of India Partners.
