Water Aid: Simple Changes Change Lives

Photo Courtesy Water Aid

One of the biggest transitions I’ve faced as a mom is the release of care to the people in my children’s school. That first day, when you realize they will spend more awake hours under someone else’s watch, can be terrifying. I remember thinking that I had worked so hard to keep them safe, healthy and happy and now I’m just letting them go off to someplace I have no idea about for 8 hours every day. How is that possible?

Yet, there are so many things I don’t have to worry about when my babies are at school-like basic needs and sanitation. My kids leave every morning with a water bottle that they are free to refill whenever their thirst deems it necessary. They have access to clean bathrooms and sinks to wash hands and stay germ free, never having to worry about diseases that come from unsanitary toilet conditions. I am never concerned about my children not having access to clean toilets or running water at school. Never.

That is not the case for parents in Madagascar, where 13,000 kids under five die every year due to disease stemming from water-related conditions. Imagine a school with no toilets or taps. That’s standard stuff for these children who are often forced to eliminate outside in the open and have no way of cleaning themselves after.

Thank goodness the incredible people at Water Aid have taken on the mission to get taps and toilets into 31 schools. The goal is, to  this summer add 100 toilets and 150 taps to 31 schools, which means improving the lives of 12,000 school children when they return this fall. Taking this basic worry away from kids means they can concentrate on their studies and all that will bring them in the future.

This project is about way more than building bathrooms. It’s about building children’s dreams. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Visit the Water Aid project page to see some of these dreams for themselves. Then, find the information that gives you the opportunity to be part of changing lives for the better. With just a small click, you can make a huge difference.