By Tricia Goecks
Editor, Belvidere Daily Republican
Imagine if you had to walk two hours each way to get access to water. And you had to wait hours in line in order to fill up your containers with water that may not be sanitary. And then you had to trudge back with home with the additional weight of the water containers.
Imagine living without indoor plumbing or even an outhouse, and you were forced to relieve yourself outside in a crowded slum.
Imagine going to a school that does not have a washroom.
Imagine if you only earned the equivalent of $2 per day as a day laborer and lost several days of work per month because you had to spend that time collecting water.
Imagine having a bucket of water with which you use to bathe once a week.
Imagine having to share that same bucket of dirty wash water with others in the community.
This is the stark reality of many of the nearly one billion people who do not have ready access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Half of hospital beds in the world are occupied by patients suffering from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.
In the 1980s, a child under the age of 5 died every 6 seconds due to diarrhea. Through the efforts of organizations like Water.Org, the situation is improving, but it is still dire. More recently, a child under the age of 5 dies every 21 seconds due to diarrhea.
Water.Org is a nonprofit developmental aid organization. It works with local partners to provide aid to developing countries. It helps build community wells. It works with local lenders to provide low cost loans to provide for home water connections and toilets.
This group that provides hope to improve the lives of millions of people in developing countries is the one that DECA is supporting through two fundraisers. On Feb. 26, Second City will perform at the Performing Arts Center at Belvidere High School. On Mar. 1, students from all area schools will showcase their talents at the Community Building with performances, science projects, a book fair, and food sales.
"Our touring company is honored to be able to assist in bringing wider recognition to the ongoing water crisis and the work being done by Water.org and to be part of the effort toward finding solutions that work in ending it," Joseph Ruffner, the Producer for The Second City Touring Companies said.
“This is one of the first times that a student has brought all of the district schools together for an event,” said Maureen Koteles, owner of the Belvidere McDonalds Restaurant and a member of the DECA board of advisors. “It is about awareness for something that we take for granted.”
To learn more about Water.org, go to belviderewaterproject.wordpress.com and watch the video.
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