The walk began with one student posing the question, "If they walk for water, why can't we?" Now, over 25 years later, 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 Walking for Water Staff and Mentors, our Students' design and "own" their Walk. From start to finish they step into their leadership roles, design the logo, host a radio show, find sponsors, market the walk and plan the 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 - then showing them how they can use those gifts to make a difference on a global scale.

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. Once freed from walking each day to bring water to their villages, we provide funds for education - tuition, books, uniforms - helping to break the cycle of poverty in which they exist..

||April 26, 2026|WEST COAST WALK|LAGUNA BEACH, CA || MAY 30, 2026|EAST COAST WALK|LEESBURG, VA||