H2O for Life and our good friends at Youth Service America encourage all teachers and youth to find an issue that will feed your passion this school year. We at H2O for Life, feel very strongly that without access to a reliable water source, sanitation and hygiene education, nothing will change permanently for communities around he world. The current drought and horrific famine in Somalia and Kenya are examples of our "disaster relief" approach. If we could be more proactive and spend funds on sustainable projects, our dollars would be better spent. What if Somalia had adequate water resources? Perhaps they would be able to grow sufficient food. We know that by providing water, sanitation and hygiene education at schools, we are changing opportunities and changing lives for students and their entire communities. Won't you help us this year? Choose a school project. Your actions will make a difference.
Read our recent blog posted at YSA.org.
http://ysa.org/blog/2011/08/26/h2o-life
Friday, August 26, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Visit to Mozambique
Tom McDow, a great friend and supporter of H2O for Life recently visited 3 projects in Mozambique that received funding from H2O for Life schools. While visiting Zobue School, he re-connected with Janet, a young Peace Corps volunteer from Los Angeles, who is spending two years teaching at the school. Tom met her on a previous trip and asked her how the completion of the new well has affected the students and community. She responded by saying:
“It has transformed the community! Instead of walking 15 to 30 minutes to fetch water, or hand digging shallow holes in the dry river bed, the women now come to the school well and carry home fresh, clean water. Students who used to spend hours fetching water for their families now are able to attend school full days because the water well is so close. The well has improved both the health and the productivity of the village. And it is used all day long every day!”
We hear comments like this everyday from schools that have received water, sanitation and hygiene education projects. Your donations to H2O for Life, however large or small, are changing the world. Please continue to "think" about the water crisis, and take action to do what you can to be part of the change!
“It has transformed the community! Instead of walking 15 to 30 minutes to fetch water, or hand digging shallow holes in the dry river bed, the women now come to the school well and carry home fresh, clean water. Students who used to spend hours fetching water for their families now are able to attend school full days because the water well is so close. The well has improved both the health and the productivity of the village. And it is used all day long every day!”
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The following item is reposted with permission from the blog of Global Water Challenge
Tomorrow’s Smiles
Somewhere in the world, a broken water pump sits idle in a field. A few years ago, a well-intentioned group installed the system and captured terrific pictures of smiling children as the mayor cut the ribbon on the new pump. Clean, fresh water started flowing and the community sprang to life. Until the pump broke. Now, those children don’t smile as they miss school and trek long distances to fetch water from a dirty river. They don’t smile as their family and friends get sick from waterborne disease and they don’t smile when their community falters without safe water. The money that funded that pump has disappeared down drain and the good days of flowing water feel like a pipe dream.
Today, a group of leading organizations has united to make sure that the water never stops flowing. Over 20 organizations that work in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) have endorsed the WASH Sustainability Charter. This Charter is a collaboratively-developed mission and set of guiding principles that advance lasting solutions in WASH. Recognizing that a broken pump affects everyone, endorsers include donors, implementers, academics and WASH implementation coalitions. All have agreed to strive toward the key sustainability principles outlined in the Charter and will work together to encourage and empower all stakeholders to achieve these principles.
By aligning the WASH community around common principles and adopting these ideals in our work, we can do our part to keep clean water flowing and toilets working. By providing a consistent framework for ongoing learning, we can develop best practices that ensure solutions last for generations, not years.
Click here to read the Charter and join the movement.
(via Global Water Challenge)
Tomorrow’s Smiles
Somewhere in the world, a broken water pump sits idle in a field. A few years ago, a well-intentioned group installed the system and captured terrific pictures of smiling children as the mayor cut the ribbon on the new pump. Clean, fresh water started flowing and the community sprang to life. Until the pump broke. Now, those children don’t smile as they miss school and trek long distances to fetch water from a dirty river. They don’t smile as their family and friends get sick from waterborne disease and they don’t smile when their community falters without safe water. The money that funded that pump has disappeared down drain and the good days of flowing water feel like a pipe dream.
Today, a group of leading organizations has united to make sure that the water never stops flowing. Over 20 organizations that work in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) have endorsed the WASH Sustainability Charter. This Charter is a collaboratively-developed mission and set of guiding principles that advance lasting solutions in WASH. Recognizing that a broken pump affects everyone, endorsers include donors, implementers, academics and WASH implementation coalitions. All have agreed to strive toward the key sustainability principles outlined in the Charter and will work together to encourage and empower all stakeholders to achieve these principles.
By aligning the WASH community around common principles and adopting these ideals in our work, we can do our part to keep clean water flowing and toilets working. By providing a consistent framework for ongoing learning, we can develop best practices that ensure solutions last for generations, not years.
Click here to read the Charter and join the movement.
(via Global Water Challenge)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Another GREAT year for H2O for Life schools!
H2O for Life would like to thank every school, group and individual donor that helped us raise close to $400,000 this year to bring water, sanitation and hygiene education to schools in need around the world. In the past four years, our schools have donated over 1 million dollars for the implementation of WASH projects in schools. (water, sanitation and hygiene education) That is incredible. Most of the funds are raised by youth through creation of multiple, inexpensive fund raising ideas. Students across the US, Canada and other schools from around the world that have joined us, have studied the issues of the global water crisis, and have said "enough is enough!" We can do something to change this. You, too, can get involved and help change and save lives! It's easy- and doesn't take the involvement of hundreds of people. Take a look at a recently posted video by Boston College on our facebook page. A small group of college students (10-12) funded a water project for Longa School in Tanzania.
Over these past four years, the staff and volunteers at H2O for Life have been amazed at the multitude of ideas that have been used by youth to engage their friends, schools and entire communities to take action. We want to share the ideas with you to help your project succeed. Our website, facebook page and our weekly newsletter will continue to add new ideas, new resources and support for you and your school to make a difference.
Our list of schools is being compiled now, with new additions being added daily. Please visit our available school partner list, choose a school today, and get ready to "Dig Deep" to be the change over the next school year. We have several exciting opportunities to share with you as the school year approaches- stay tuned!
Our newly revised educational tool-kit will also be available and in your hands by Sept. 1. The tool-kit again be available online as well.
H2O for Life schools have accomplished a lot in four years, but there is more to be done.
Join us today. Register your project online at http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/ or call us! (651-756-7577)
Over these past four years, the staff and volunteers at H2O for Life have been amazed at the multitude of ideas that have been used by youth to engage their friends, schools and entire communities to take action. We want to share the ideas with you to help your project succeed. Our website, facebook page and our weekly newsletter will continue to add new ideas, new resources and support for you and your school to make a difference.
Our list of schools is being compiled now, with new additions being added daily. Please visit our available school partner list, choose a school today, and get ready to "Dig Deep" to be the change over the next school year. We have several exciting opportunities to share with you as the school year approaches- stay tuned!
Our newly revised educational tool-kit will also be available and in your hands by Sept. 1. The tool-kit again be available online as well.
H2O for Life schools have accomplished a lot in four years, but there is more to be done.
Join us today. Register your project online at http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/ or call us! (651-756-7577)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Children understand the need! You can help make his wish come true.
Children in our schools rarely give a second thought to water and bathrooms that are abundantly available in our schools. We received a copy of a handwritten note from a young boy, Saif, in Pakistan through our implementing partner, Save the Children. Saif mentions that his village water source was destroyed in a recent flood. He said that diarrhea was a huge problem, and the mothers had to walk out of the village to collect drinking water. His note was requesting that Save the Children complete a WASH in Schools project in his school. He said, "I will play our role." The community and the children are willing to help with construction, and form hygiene clubs that manage and help sustain the project- all they are doing is asking for help to provide an essential basic need- WATER!
Translation of the letter from Urdu to English:
Mr. Badar Sahib, Assalamualaikum!
Eid greetings to you, your family and your team. At this happy occasion of eid I would also like to say that we should not forget our brothers and sisters whose houses have been washed away by the flood. At the same time I want o divert your attention towards another important issue which has made hundreds of thousand lives of the children at risk i.e. “un-availability of safe drinking water” as you know water is an integral part of our life, but safe water. As you know that diarrhea is one of the main causes of mortality amongst children, and every year hundreds of thousand children die due to it. Polluted water contributes 30-30% to this problem. I also learned in Child Focused health Education (CFHE) sessions by Save the Children that polluted water causes many other problems as well. The current flood destroyed water channels and other water sources across the country. My village is also one of the effected villages, which has directly affected me, my SHN CFHE group fellows and rest of the children of my town. The flood damaged the village water supply scheme. We temporally get water from the stream which is not safe water. My group children and some other children refused to drink that water. My mom and some other women of the village Fitch the water from a water source out of the village for drinking purpose, but we use stream water for washing cloths and taking shower etc.
I request Save the Children to solve this issue. We will play our role.
“Water is life”
Regards
Saif Ur Rehman
CFHE Volunteer
Peshora village, District and Tehsil, Batgram
Water IS life!
Everyday, H2O for Life asks teachers and students to help make this wish come true. Won't you also help Saif and others obtain water, toilets and hygiene education at their schools?
Gather your friends, or individually make a donation in Saif's name at:
http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/
Thank You!
Translation of the letter from Urdu to English:
Mr. Badar Sahib, Assalamualaikum!
Eid greetings to you, your family and your team. At this happy occasion of eid I would also like to say that we should not forget our brothers and sisters whose houses have been washed away by the flood. At the same time I want o divert your attention towards another important issue which has made hundreds of thousand lives of the children at risk i.e. “un-availability of safe drinking water” as you know water is an integral part of our life, but safe water. As you know that diarrhea is one of the main causes of mortality amongst children, and every year hundreds of thousand children die due to it. Polluted water contributes 30-30% to this problem. I also learned in Child Focused health Education (CFHE) sessions by Save the Children that polluted water causes many other problems as well. The current flood destroyed water channels and other water sources across the country. My village is also one of the effected villages, which has directly affected me, my SHN CFHE group fellows and rest of the children of my town. The flood damaged the village water supply scheme. We temporally get water from the stream which is not safe water. My group children and some other children refused to drink that water. My mom and some other women of the village Fitch the water from a water source out of the village for drinking purpose, but we use stream water for washing cloths and taking shower etc.
I request Save the Children to solve this issue. We will play our role.
“Water is life”
Saif Ur Rehman
CFHE Volunteer
Peshora village, District and Tehsil, Batgram
Water IS life!
Everyday, H2O for Life asks teachers and students to help make this wish come true. Won't you also help Saif and others obtain water, toilets and hygiene education at their schools?
Gather your friends, or individually make a donation in Saif's name at:
http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/
Thank You!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Prairie Crossing, Illinois students create an all school event!
Chelsea Curran and Lauren Rudolf choose H2O for Life and the water crisis as a focus for a school assignment. They set up six informational stations and challenged their school to walk for water in honor of Earth Day. The girls went above and beyond the assignment guidelines, writing a 20-25 research paper and putting in over 50 hours of time to organize the event. The girls raised funds to help bring water, sanitation and hygiene education to a school in Tanzania. To read the local newspaper article, click on the link below:
Congratulations, and thanks, girls for your inspiration and passion!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
