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By Kerry Dodson, Director of Events & Engagement at Water Mission

Here in Charleston, we have the opportunity to take a shower, let our kids splash in the Pineapple Fountain downtown, and fill up a water bottle with ease. We don’t need to worry about developing a serious illness or painful rash from the water, or about missing work because it took too long to collect.

But every day, billions of people do have to think about where they will get the day’s water, how long it will take them to collect it, and whether it will make them sick. One-third of the entire world’s population lacks access to clean, safe drinking water.

Without safe water, women and children often walk miles to a nearby water source, such as a murky river, to draw the same water that is used by wild animals. Or they might have to collect water from a well that is regularly contaminated by sewage and other dangerous bacteria. And tragically, drinking dirty water can lead to dangerous diseases. Research shows that one person dies every 37 seconds from a water-related illness.

Today is World Water Day, a day set aside by the U.N. to highlight the need for safe water around the world. And Charleston, you are making a difference.

I’m proud to say that our community has been fighting the global water crisis for nearly 20 years. You were the first to embrace Water Mission, a Christian engineering nonprofit headquartered in the Charleston area, when we launched in 2001. Since then, we have served more than four million people together — delivering sustainable safe water solutions throughout the world.

Yet the water crisis remains urgent and enormous, and there is still much work to be done. Your continued engagement, advocacy, and support will make a lasting impact on families around the world.

You can start by signing up for this year’s Walk for Water on March 30 — we’re just a few days away.

Together, we’ll walk three miles to get a glimpse into what life without safe water is like for people around the world. We’ll walk to help change their reality, so that one day soon they can drink clean and safe water as easily as we can.

And because certain groups — like children, women, and refugees — are often the most impacted by the crisis, we’ll specifically celebrate their stories and successes. You’ll hear about 13-year-old Dina in Malawi, and what safe water means for her education + professional dreams. You’ll walk on behalf of Hayani, a young mother in Indonesia who used to spend hours collecting water every day. And you’ll see how safe water empowers Dada Angelo, a refugee in Uganda, to build a new life for his family.

Charleston, you are already leading the way in one of the world’s largest and most urgent crises.

Want to go further? Here are some more ways to get involved:

Register for the Walk for Water at Riverfront Park on Mar. 30 at 9 a.m.
Raise money for people in need of safe water.
Volunteer with Water Mission in North Charleston.

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