According to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, 1 in 8 people don’t have access to clean water. Amy Russell, Aaron Tharp and Marty Yoder aim to do something about that.
Walking4Water is a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness and funds for clean water in developing countries. The team is set to embark on a two year, 7,000 mile mission across the country to achieve their goal. The intrepid threesome plan to become the first U.S. citizens to walk this far across Africa. And, they have set up a way for you to follow them as they make the trek.
“4,000 children will die today from water-related diseases,’ said Russell. “We feel committed and compelled to help those who are in most desperate need of the most basic necessity of life. We’re raising awareness and funds, and trying to prove that ‘impossible’ doesn’t exist.”
The journey is equivalent to the distance of walking from New York City to California, and back to Chicago. The team will begin walking on January 27 in Cape Town, South Africa and continue through several countries including:
• South Africa
• Mozambique
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Ethiopia
• Sudan
• Egypt
Russell and the volunteers will walk six days a week, for about eight hours a day. The team plans to camp or stay with people that they meet along the way, joining with other grassroots organizations already working to create sustainable water solutions in Africa.
The Walk4Water team can be tracked on their website with a GPS map for supporters to follow their journey. Their U.S. volunteer team will update their social media channels and website to include recent news, accept donations, and offer options for those at home to get involved in the mission.
Russell founded the non-profit organization, Walk4Water, while she was still in college at North Park University in Chicago.
“Walk4Water was birthed out of an idea, backed by compassion for people, a passion for justice, and the decision to take a risk, knowing it is worth it,” said Russell.
To follow the walk across Africa, or learn more about how you can get involved, visit Walk4Water’s website: www.walking4water.org, Facebook: Walking4Water, or Twitter: @TeamWalk4Water
