Hello all! As we enter this hectic holiday season we wanted to take a moment and share a little bit about a charity that is helping those who are less fortunate than us.
Charity: water is a non-profit organization that is on a mission to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person on the planet. Clean water is such a routine part of our lives. Few of us have ever been truly thirsty or had to leave our home for clean drinking water. But more than 10% of the people on this planet don't have easy access to safe, clean water. In fact, many people have to spend several hours a day walking miles just to get water that is neither clean nor safe. The impact this has on individuals as well as local and regional societies cannot be overstated.
Here are a couple quick facts that should blow your mind and break your heart:
1. Disease from unsafe water and lack of sanitation kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
2. Of the 30,000 deaths that occur every WEEK from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions, 90% are children under the age of 5
3. In Africa alone, 40 billion hours are spent walking for water every year. This burden fall disproportionately on women and children.
If these facts don't touch you in some way then you may need to check your pulse ( he writes in his least judgiest tone )!
Here are a few more facts that give me hope that the problem can be fixed and make me believe that charity:water is part of the solution!
1. Improving access to clean water allows communities to establish a secure and local food supply. Self-sufficient homes and communities are less affected by famine, conflict or inadequate government services.
2. Since most of the water carrying responsibilities fall to women and young girls, a local water project can increase the times that girls can get an education and women can earn extra income.
3. 100% of donations made by you to charity:water goes directly to water projects. How do they pull this off? Private donors fund all of charity:water's operating expenses.
If nothing else, our hope is that you will pause during this busy season and take a moment to appreciate how truly fortunate we are. Whispering Willow will be donating 10% of our profits from 2013 to charity:water. If you are able and willing to give a little something to those who are not as fortunate as us; then we encourage you to donate to charity:water . 100% of your donation will go to water projects.
May you and your family have a peaceful holiday season.
The Bearded Soap Guy