Carrying water jugs: typical daily work for most of the world

Water jugs
Originally uploaded by nlnnet

The world faces a massive crisis. About one fifth of our fellow human beings on Earth do not have daily, immediate access to the most basic of necessities: safe drinking water. Think about this for a moment, says the site Blue Planet Run.

Imagine if, instead of just going to a tap in your kitchen, or to a water cooler, anytime you were thirsty, you had to hoist a heavy vessel onto your head and walk, up to two hours, to a well, where, after filling your vessel—now really heavy—you had to carry it up to two more hours back home.

After your trek, how much more time and energy would you hope to have to farm, cook, take care of your family, especially the sick ones; clean, work to make money outside the home or go to school to get ahead?

This is the dilemma facing hundreds of millions of women and children in
Africa,
Afghanistan,
India and other parts of
Asia,
Central and
South America each day.

They live in communities where water is scarce or contaminated or both, and, 9 times out of 10, it is their responsibility to find a safe source, whatever the distance or terrain. They are among the 6,000 who die every 24 hours, because the need for safe drinking water outweighs adequate supply. But, with your help, they will see a way out of their cycle of poverty, disease and death.


People with waterborne illnesses occupy half of the world’s hospital beds. 2.2 million die each year.