Walk for Water Skerries Educate Together- Thursday 16th February 2017.
Students from Skerries Educate Together National School
to “Walk for Water” in solidarity
with young people in Africa.
14th of February 2017
Students from Skerries Educate Together National School will “Walk for Water” in solidarity with children and teenagers across the globe who have to undertake arduous journeys every day to collect water for their families. The “Walk for Water” will take place on the 16th of February at 10.30am. The children in Seolta and the infant classes will parade outside the school as we send 1st to 6th class off on their walk. They will walk from the school to Red Island and back. This action is one of many hundreds of actions taking place around the world in the lead up to World Water Day, March 22nd 2017.
About Water Poverty
Did you know that, in parts of Kenya, children, especially girls, walk an average of 6kms per day to collect water, carrying up to 20 litres of water on their journey?
As a result of the time it takes to collect water, many children, especially girls, are unable to remain in school, and without education, find themselves caught in a cycle of poverty.
Often, the water collected is unclean and up to 2,000 children die every day from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.
Ending the water and sanitation crisis will help break the poverty cycle, increase school attendance, and save lives.
About World Water Day and Water Action Month
World Water Day is held annually on March 22nd as a means of focusing attention on the need for safe, clean, water supplies and the sustainable management of fresh water resources throughout the world. Since 2016, the month of March is designated as Water Action Month – an entire month dedicated to activities and mobilisations across the globe aimed at addressing water poverty.
About Aidlink
Aidlink, an Irish NGO working in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, annually organises the Walk for Water campaign with Irish Secondary Schools in the run up to World Water Day on March 22nd.
Aidlink has worked for over 30 years in the developing world to address basic human needs, including access to safe, clean water and sanitation facilities.
Aidlink emphasises the important role of water and sanitation facilities in prolonging girls’ attendance at school. In the communities where Aidlink work, the introduction of water tanks and girl-friendly latrines has had a huge impact on young girls and their ability to stay in education into their teenage years.
