After our trip to Ethiopia to visit our son, we were deeply moved by the people of Ethiopia. There are so many things that, we as Americans, take for granted, one of those being access to safe drinking water at our fingertips. While driving to southern Ethiopia, everywhere we looked, we saw people of all ages walking down the roads in search of water carrying heavy jugs. They would walk for miles every day getting the water that they needed for the day. What is even worse, the water that they are getting is dirty and filled with parasites and other things that make them sick.
Just a few statistics for you:
In the year 2000, only 13% of the people in rural areas of Ethiopia had access to safe drinking water. Only 6% had access to basic sanitation services.
In rural Ethiopia, women and children walk up to six hours to collect water. Most people collect water from shallow, unprotected ponds which they share with animals. Other people collect water from shallow wells. Both of these sources are subject to contamination as rain water washes waste from surrounding areas into the source. The jugs women use to carry water back to the village weigh up to 40 pounds! Often, young children are left at home while their mother and older siblings collect water and their fathers work.
In the last 20 years, Ethiopia has experienced recurring droughts followed by food shortages and famines. During times of drought, water-related diseases are rampant. Surface water sources such as springs and ponds dry up. Remaining water sources are heavily contaminated by environmental waste, such as human and animal excreta, which is washed in when it does rain. The stagnant water serves as a breeding place for mosquitoes.
In times of drought, there is often not enough water available for people to bathe regularly. As a result, community members, especially children, suffer from scabies and eye infections. During these times, in an effort to conserve water, hand-washing after defecation or before eating is rarely practiced. Diarrheal and water-related diseases are among the principle causes of death in young children.
So....we want to make a difference. We want to raise $5,000.00 for a water project in Southern Ethiopia, near where Bejigo is from. This campaign is in honor of Bejigo's Birthmother, Aster. We want to help provide safe drinking water to these beautiful people. We are all so very blessed and have so much to be thankful for. This is our opportunity to bless others that have touched our hearts. We are asking for your help. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our water project?
My Campaign to Raise funds to develop Water and Sanitation for the village of Chuko Weyama through a General Fund Raising
A Glimmer of Hope helps lifts women and children out of extreme poverty in rural Ethiopia. Using an entrepreneurial model it provides clean water, schools, health clinics and micro-finance loans, one village at a time. 100% of all donations go directly to funding these projects. Glimmer’s endowment covers all its operating expenses and even replaces credit card transaction fees. Every dollar donated through Glimmer reaches the people in need. Over the last 10 years, Glimmer has completed more than 5000 projects and improved 2.4 million lives.
Watch this video to learn more about A Glimmer of Hope.
