If they walk for water, why can't we?

Our Students walk each year to bring life-saving water to the world.

The Model

In 2003, a Student asked, "What if we walked for water too, to raise awareness and funds to make a difference?" That led to the first Walk and the format we have replicated and scaled over 20 years.

The Walk

Under the guidance of W4W Staff, our Students' design + "own" their Walk. Starting by stepping into their leadership roles, to planning the logistics of the day—they finish with a major experience of accomplishment.

Primary Outcomes

Learning to work within a group, finding a leadership role that 'fits,' being accountable and the experience of creating a platform for real change—are the consistent outcomes for our Students.

The "Other" Outcomes

Although the focus is raising funds for water + education through the Walk, we consider our main work as creating the the safe space + support for finding, exploring + expressing their gifts.

Health

Where we work, in Sub-Saharan Africa + Asia, over half of the hospital beds have patients with water borne illness + it's where the majority of the 1,200 children per day who succumb to preventable water-related disease are from.

Conflict

In places, like Burkina Faso where political conflict already exists, water scarcity from mismanagement, ownership disputes + unstable water infrastructure, triggers social disruption + displacement in the Communities we serve.

Gender

Women + girls spend 200 million hours carrying water every day. In rural Africa, one woman or girl walks 6 kilometers/3.7 miles a day to haul 40 pounds of water. This takes time away from work and school, which locks women + girls in a cycle of poverty.

Education

When girls are responsible for water collection, they don't get educated + that can lead to early marriage, lower earnings + higher fertility rates over their lifetime. It's also likely their girl children won't be educated either.