Let's Stop Taking Water for Granted

April 22, 2018 Mary Knothe, Communications

I woke up this morning at 8am. My hair, feeling greasy from a previous day’s work, needed cleaning. So, I turned on the shower faucet and cranked up the heat, as I prefer my showers on the “scorching” side. I let the hot water run as I washed my hair, scrubbed my body, and shaved my legs.

Showering, for me, is meditative. In those ten minutes, I love the feeling of sensing my skin go from greasy to silky smooth. As I let the water hit my face, washing off my exfoliating soap, I feel as though I could stay there forever.

Going without showers or showering with unclean water can subject people to illnesses and make them more susceptible to contracting infections. The citizens of one community that Well Aware worked with to bring clean water to, Emining Mogotio County, Kenya, would walk two kilometers only to collect contaminated water from a local river. Well Aware implemented a rainwater harvesting system to create healthy, safe water for the citizens, with special consideration for a boarding school house, for drinking, showering, and other needs.

After my shower, I got dressed and ready for my day. I filled my Nalgene up with 32 ounces of ice-cold water from the tap and went out the door. By the end of the day, I’d probably filled it up and drank from my nalgene three times. My school has several water bottle filling stations that take about ten seconds to fill up those 32 ounces.

In Kimotorok, Tanzania, the community only has available water from a hand dug hole in the ground. Because of Kimotorok’s water, many students miss school due to water borne illness from contamination. Drinking this water continuously hurts not only short term health, but also long term well-being. This community of 3,000 will soon have a new water well due to Well Aware’s future plans.

I had a break in the school day, so I came home to make some lunch. I boiled a big pot of water from the sink and dumped a box of pasta in. It really is the world's easiest meal- for me.

In Ratta, Kisumu County, Kenya, a Girl’s Hostel has no running water. At Ratta elementary - a school of 310 students, lacks a kitchen and only 50% of the water in the area is safe to consume. This poses problems for meals to be prepared quickly or safely. Well Aware has a plan of building a water system that will provide reliable pipeline and water passages, and these girls and children will be able to eat and drink more quickly and safely thanks to the new project.

In most communities in the United States, we are so fortunate to have clean water to drink straight from the tap. Even if tap is not accessible, it is quick and cheap to find bottled water at any store. Showers and flushing toilets are easy to find and are in a majority of American homes. These privileges are not shared in all parts of the world, especially in East Africa, where drought devastates their land. Well Aware’s mission of providing these people the means to live a safe and sanitary life is not done without the help of all our donors!

This Shower Strike, please help us reach our goal to give the invaluable gift of water. One week of not showering can give a better, cleaner, and safer life to someone who needs it desperately.