The Gift of Clean Water by Brittany Nelson

02 Sep The Gift of Clean Water by Brittany Nelson

Every day, nearly 4,000 children die as a
result of drinking unsafe water.
~World Vision

In 2007, I spent two months camping with a team of teenagers in the African bush. During the first month we did a complete VBS for children whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS. The second month we did short VBS programs at schools and passed out shoe boxes for Samaritan’s Purse. It was an amazing experience. I still miss my African kids, especially the younger ones I worked with in Zambia.

Being in Africa showed me that many people around the world do not have the same opportunities as us. We take for granted the essential things in life that are always there for us like food, water, and medicine. Many countries do not have clean drinking water systems. According to the World Health Organization, almost 1.5 million children die every year just from the diarrhea that results from contaminated drinking water.

When I was in Africa, we had to buy bottled water because it was unsafe for us to drink the water in most places. However, one village we went to had a water pump. It was amazing to see the impact this well has on a community. People come from everywhere to use the water. Women gather to do laundry, fill up their pots for cooking, and socialize. While I was working with the children at camp, I would see the women laughing and spending time together. Just like we go to the movies and out to dinner, the women in the African bush go out to the water pump. I realized how important the water pump was for the people there. Not only did it bring clean water so that the children and adults would not get waterborne diseases, but it created a place where the community could come together, socialize, and enjoy life despite all of its hardships.

Travelling throughout four African countries, I noticed that there are many areas that do not have any type of well or pump. People get their water from unclean rivers and in some areas there are severe water shortages. It always saddens me to hear about people who do not have water when it is easy to dig a well with just a little money and technology.

Ever since my trip, I have been an advocate of water wells in undeveloped countries. It is so easy to impact an entire village by donating a water pump or a well. My favorite organization that provides clean water to villages all over the globe is World Vision. A traditional well, like the one in the bush where I was staying, costs $2,600, but you can also just buy a share of a traditional well for $75. According to World Vision, a well just 60 feet deep can bring new health and life to a community of 150 people. The well your gift provides will be capable of supplying more than 600 gallons of safe water a day for drinking, bathing, irrigating crops, and watering livestock. When my team leaders from Thailand got married, they used part of the wedding money they received to donate a traditional well through World Vision. I love how they gave back and that is a goal of mine one day too.

If you ever feel the urge to donate to a good cause, consider World Vision’s Clean Water Fund or a traditional well. Clean water can significantly reduce the death rate from waterborne diseases and contamination. I know from personal experience that the children in undeveloped areas of the world are beautiful, loving, and full of joy. I hate the thought of them getting sick because of a problem that has a simple solution.

For more information, visit World Vision at www.worldvision.org.

~Brittany Cobb, Emory University

 

Brittany Nelson is the co-founder of GWG. After many years of volunteering in international ministry, she became excited about helping other young women discover their passion. Brittany is a Jr. HR Generalist at a consulting firm in the DC area. She spends her free time exploring DC and going to Washington Wizards games with her husband, Paul.

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