IN NOOSA, we rarely need to walk more than 10 steps to access clean water, but in the developing world, people have no choice but to walk up to 10 kilometres a day.
The WaterAid Walk 4 Water campaign is a fund-raising event from 16 to 20 March asking people to clock up 10,000 steps per day in a bid to raise funds and awareness for the more than 700 million people around the world who don’t have access to safe water.
The national fund-raiser coincides with World Water Day on 22 March, and asks participants to walk the equivalent daily journey women undertake in the developing world to collect often unsafe water.
WaterAid Australia CEO Paul Nichols said access to water was a basic human right and it was staggering to think one in 10 of the world’s population was deprived of their right to water.
“Over half a million children needlessly die every year from diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera by drinking unsafe water,” he said.
“Unsafe water also impacts productivity and limits economies, taking time away from education, work and other tasks that could provide additional income for families.”
Last year WaterAid Australia, through its local partners in South East Asia and the Pacific, helped almost 8000 people access clean, fresh water.
Anyone is welcome to register for the Walk 4 Water fund-raiser by visiting www.walk4water.com.au and asking friends, family and co-workers to sponsor 10,000 steps.
Once registered, all participants will be sent a pedometer to count the steps taken.
