Imagine if a task as mundane as brushing your teeth could kill you. For those of us living in the developed world, that’s one worry we’ll never have. For millions of people without access to clean water, that’s not the case. The scarcity of safe, pollutant-free water is the biggest issue facing people in Africa and other developing nation.
Eighty percent of diseases in under-developed nations are caused by unsanitary water, according to thewaterproject.org. In fact, one in every four deaths of a child under the age of five is caused by contaminated water. Illnesses that people in modernized countries no longer worry about like cholera, malaria, diarrhea and worms are killing people around the world.
While the facts may be grim, there are plenty of actions we can take to ensure clean water is more readily available around the world.
1. The PUR Water Initiative: Every time you purchase a PUR water system, a portion of the proceeds go towards the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program that distributes PUR packets that transform unsanitary drinking water safe.
2. The Water Project: Get involved on doing “Actions” with The Water Project like organizing a fundraiser or creating a webpage to encourage donators.
3. Turn Wine to Water: Host a benefit for the Wine to Water foundation, an organization founded by 2009 CNN Hero Doc Hendley, that encourages donors to host wine tastings and parties to generate proceeds towards water sanitation. Use your next birthday or anniversary to save lives.
4. TAP Project: Founded in 2007, UNICEF’s TAP Project asks restaurant goers to donate $1 to pay for the water they drink for free towards UNICEF‘s clean water initiatives. One dollar can provide clean water to a child for 40 days. Find restaurants in your city that are involved in UNICEF’s TAP project next March 2011.
5. WaterAid’s Taste for Life: Host a dinner party or celebration with friends and family and register online at WaterAid America. WaterAid will provide you with learning materials and aids that will help you encourage your guests to donate to WaterAid’s effort to make clean water more accessible to people around the world.
6. World Water Day: March 22nd is World Water Day — just three months from now. The UN has reserved this day to respond to the increased need for clean water in urban area. Friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and start thinking how you can get involved.
7. Spread Awareness: FACE Africa, an organization dedicated to bringing clean, safe water to communities in Liberia says one of the best ways to get involved with water sanitation efforts is to spread the word. Tweet, Facebook and discuss this issue with your friends and colleagues. The more people and companies that are aware, the more that will get involved.
Please spread the word about our campaign to raise $5,000 for a well and hand pump in a desperately poor community in Liberia. Donate now.
UPDATE: We successfully completed this campaign and are no longer taking donations. Please check out Tonic’s latest campaigns here.
Image courtesy of debaird, flickr.