Imagine your husband is a farmer, plowing the land with his oxen trying to make a living for your family.
Imagine this is how you carry what your family needs.
Imagine, if you are lucky, this is your means of transportation
Imagine that you have to walk for miles to the nearest water source to obtain water for your family. Imagine having to carry the 40 pound jugs of water on your back for the long return trip.
Imagine having to leave your children at home to make the journey for water. Imagine that you could not leave your younger children so you have your older daughter make the journey. Imagine that your daughter would often miss school because of this work. Imagine that your daughter could be abducted or raped during this long journey.
Imagine that the nearest source of water is a small unprotected pond or river. Imagine that you share that pond with animals. Imagine that waste from the surrounding areas is washed into your pond during the rainy season.
Imagine that the water you or your daughter worked so hard to bring home is contaminated. Imagine how the contaminated water could make you or your family sick. Imagine that your children's bodies are not strong enough to fight off diarrhea or another water related illness. Imagine that you had to bury your child because you could not provide him or her with clean water.
Imagine that there is a drought. Imagine that the water supply your family relies on dries up.
If you live in rural Ethiopia, you do not have to imagine this at all. It is a fact of your life. In Ethiopia, only 33% of the population has access to safe water. That is not acceptable.
Ethiopia holds a special place in my heart. The beauty of the country, the beauty of the people that I met will forever stay with me. When I saw that the theme for Blog Action Day was water, I knew this was my chance to do something, however small, for the country I love.
I want to bring clean water to my son's homeland. I want to insure that his birth family and others like them, do not have to travel so far for clean, safe water.
I am asking you to join me.
3 comments:
Thank you for getting a powerful message across.
An incredible cause.
Wonderful Renee. Thank you. Our area will soon be having a Water to Wine event in which all the proceeds go to Charity: Water; a charity I have come to love and respect over the last year. Peace to you.
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