From CMMB: Children in School Urgently Need Water

 

When water is scarce, school children put their lives at risk trying to find it.  For children in Mutomo, Kenya, getting ready for school begins as early as 4 am. They walk an average of seven miles to reach the closest water source, over difficult terrain, risking encounters with snakes and crocodiles. Once they arrive, they wait for hours for their turn to fill their containers. And after all of this, the water they've traveled so far to collect will often make them ill.  Carrying heavy containers of water, they return home to get ready for school. By the time they get to their first class, they are tired and hungry. “Most of our students come from extremely vulnerable households, where water and food are very limited. Most of the days, the only meal they get is here.” —Headteacher, Mary Kalamba. Water is also a problem at school. During the rainy season, schools can collect water in tanks, which allows them to prepare food and provide safe water and better sanitation for students. However, during the long dry season, water eventually runs out, meaning no school meal, no drinking water, and no proper sanitation. As a result, many children become weak, sick, and all too often, drop out of school.  In this area of Kenya, only 42% of children complete primary school, and water is a key determinant. Unsafe drinking water remains the leading cause of disease and death around the world.  Children standing in front of the school water tank. Sanitation facility at the school. We need your help to provide more water tanks and boreholes to schools in poor communities like Mutomo. School children urgently need your help, so they can stay safe, healthy, and in the classroom. We believe that human life is sacred. Without access to safe water, life and dignity are threatened. Every second, more children suffer without access to safe water. They need our help today. We have EXTENDED our Summer Match. When you give $100, $200, $500, or any amount, we will match it, dollar-for-dollar. Don’t wait. Double your impact by giving now. DONATE NOW With heartfelt gratitude, President and CEO CMMB/Healthier Lives Worldwide   PS: Without clean water in schools, children put their lives in danger, get sick, and risk dying.  We need your help to provide more water tanks and boreholes to schools in poor communities. DONATE NOW, and we will match your gift dollar-for-dollar. Healthier Lives Worldwide Our mailing address is: CMMB 100 Wall Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10005