Water crisis is a major problem for people living in third world countries. While the United States enjoys some of the world’s cleanest water, third world countries are either without or they suffer from a steady supply of contaminated water. Water is a unique resource and the lack thereof contributes to deaths and illness, especially in children. Many Third World countries are currently in a water crisis and an imminent crisis such as this will appear worldwide if more measures are not taken to better manage and conserve water.
“Water is life, yet still more than one billion people lack access to safe drinking water and more than two billion lack basic sanitation. It is estimated that nearly 6,000 children die every day from diarrhea caused by poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water,” according to inspiredgifts.unicefusa.org.
According to Water Partners International, “those citizens in third world countries face challenges such as poor management of water allocation and deforestation, water related disease, poor hygiene (thus increasing the spread of disease), poor access to drinking water causing overall development to stagnate, water scarcity and drought”.
In an effort to help the lack of water supply, the United Nations Children’s Fund, a foundation whose main goal and purpose is to “work for the survival protection and development of all children worldwide through education, advocacy and fundraising” is stepping in.
UNICEF helps to improve more than 90 countries around the world with water supplies and sanitation facilities in school and communities to promote safe hygiene practices. The ultimate goal for water and sanitation is to reduce to one half by 2015 the portion of people without sustainable access to adequate water and basic sanitation.
Various campus organizations such as the Multicultural Affairs Committee, the Student Government Association, Sykes Union Advisory board, Black Student Union, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the Invisible Children are joining together and partnering up with the UNICEF to host a benefit concert in an effort to promote campus unity and global awareness.
The Water for Life concert will be take place Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in Sykes ballrooms; donations of one dollar will be collected at the door. All proceeds will be donated to UNICEF to purchase a water pump to help provide clean, safe drinking water for a whole community. The water pump will serve as a reliable and durable deep-well and pump.
According to UNICEF, “more than one million pumps have been installed in communities around the world”.
The hosts of the “Water for Life” benefit concert are asking other campus organization to get involved with this endeavor. All bands, singers, instrument players, rappers, poets, dancers are welcome to showcase his or her gifts and talents on stage. Applications are available in the office of multicultural affairs located on the bottom level of Sykes across from the book store.
Ronni Cain is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at RC631645@wcupa.edu.