On Saturday, March 26, more than 3,750 people participated in the 16th Annual Walk for Water at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, SC. Together, they raised more than $450,000 (and counting).
Every day, millions of women and children walk more than three miles to collect water that is often contaminated and makes their families sick. The three-mile Walk for Water route represented the average distance people walk each day to collect water that can lead to water-related illnesses. Walkers carried empty buckets until the halfway point, filled them with water, and carried the full buckets the final 1.5 miles.
Scroll on to see some highlights of this special event to raise awareness and fight the global water crisis.Thank you to those who dedicated their Saturday to helping bring clean, safe water to our global neighbors. We hope you’re already making plans to join us for the 2023 Walk for Water next year on Saturday, March 25, 2023. You can also visit walkforwater.com to find a Walk for Water near you or host one in your own community!
The Walk for Water was led by walkers carrying flags representing the 57 countries where Water Mission has served.Walkers carried buckets to simulate the daily journey made by millions of women and children.Sarah Mitchell walked with Second Presbyterian Church’s Walk for Water team and said, “We at the church are very concerned about water in the world. Water Mission has always been part of our church’s mission budget. I was personally interested to learn today about the story of a mother and son in Peru. My husband and I have been to Peru and have seen that [access to water] is really an issue there.”Participants walked three miles, filling buckets with dirty water at the Walk’s halfway point.Reagan Eason is a high school athlete who walked with her mom, aunties, and cousins. “God created us for a reason,” she says, “and walking for water takes [girls and women] away from fulfilling their destinies.”At the finish line, participants emptied their water buckets into a pool. The water was then treated by one of Water Mission’s Living Water Treatment Systems, making it clean and safe to use.Volunteers shared how the Living Water Treatment System treats water to make it safe for kids and families in remote communities, refugee camps, and disaster areas.Teams and families raised funds and walked together.Graham Jones was one of the dedicated Walk for Water volunteers sharing facts about the global water crisis along the Walk route. When asked what inspired him to spend his Saturday morning this way, he said, “I volunteered so I can help out because I know that it is a real hardship to walk miles for water, and, even then, it wasn’t water that was clean. It was dirty water that would make you sick.”Everyone shared in the camaraderie of the day and the joy of helping others.
Even if you couldn’t join us at the Walk, there are many ways to go the extra mile with Water Mission. Consider coming alongside us, transforming lives by building health and hope. Visit watermission.org/get-involved to learn more.
