October 10, 2024
International Day of the Girl: Visions for the Future
Today, on International Day of the Girl, we come together to reflect on the potential of the 1.1 billion girls worldwide, and their vision for the future.
On December 19th, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11th as the International Day of the Girl Child. This day serves to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face around the world. The theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl celebrates “girls’ visions for the future.”
This year’s theme conveys both the need for urgent action and persistent hope, driven by the power of girls’ voices and visions for the future. Around the world, girls are leading movements, driving innovation, and breaking barriers. Yet, today’s generation of girls are disproportionately affected by global crises such as climate change, conflict, poverty, and lack of access to clean water.
As we work toward a future where every girl can fulfill her potential, it's essential to understand the key role clean water plays in achieving this vision.
The Water Crisis: A Major Barrier to Girls’ Rights
In East Africa, the Water Crisis is the main obstacle standing in the way of girls’ empowerment. While the global population as a whole has access to enough fresh water for all, distribution remains unequal. As a result, unsustainable water management leads to an excess of waste and pollution. Access to clean water becomes a distant and unreachable dream for far too many girls.
In 8 out of 10 households without piped water, women and girls are responsible for collecting water (WHO & UNICEF). In rural communities across Kenya, young girls walk an average of 3.5 miles each day to collect water (USAID). This responsibility keeps them out of school, denies them the opportunity for education, and limits their future prospects.
The Water Crisis has also led to devastating health effects. Without clean, reliable water sources, girls are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid—all preventable, yet deadly. Every year, contaminated water causes over 485,000 diarrheal deaths worldwide (WHO).
This reality emphasizes the critical failure of the international water aid industry. Too many communities are given temporary solutions—wells that break down, systems that aren’t properly maintained, and plans that ignore the long-term sustainability of clean water access. Our mission as a nonprofit is to change this reality. By building sustainable, 100% successful clean water projects in Kenya, we hope to ensure that communities have access to clean, safe water for generations to come and that girls are empowered.
Empowering Girls Through Clean Water
Access to clean water has the potential to change everything for girls. With water close to home, girls no longer have to choose between education and survival. They can stay in school, develop their talents, pursue their passions, and work toward the futures they envision – the futures they deserve.
By securing access to reliable, clean water, we are not only protecting girls’ health, but also promoting gender equality. Educated girls are more likely to become leaders in their communities, mothers who support the education of their children, and entrepreneurs who lift their families out of poverty. Water is a foundational piece of this puzzle.
Did you know that for each additional year a Kenyan girl is in school here future income increases by 12%?
Girls’ Vision for the Future: The Power of Listening and Acting
This year’s theme reminds us that girls are courageous and hopeful, even in the face of adversity. They have a vision of a future where they are protected, respected, and empowered. However, girls cannot realize this vision alone—they need allies.
At Well Aware, we are listening. We hear the voices of girls who dream of a better tomorrow and understand that clean water is central to that future. By investing in proven, sustainable solutions, we can accelerate progress toward a world where every girl has the tools and resources she needs to thrive. On this International Day of the Girl, let’s commit to listening to girls and responding to their needs. Let’s invest in solutions that create lasting change and give girls the opportunity to lead the way toward a brighter, more equitable future. Learn more about our work and how you can support sustainable clean water solutions in Kenya.
Together, we can break down barriers, one well at a time.