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Why Is Clean Water Important?

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According to National Geographic, “More than 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water.” 1 Yet there is a global water crisis in which 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. 2 How can this be? Why is clean water important? Consider the following statistics: National Geographic reports, “About 159 million around the world people collect their drinking water directly from surface water” (i.e., lakes, ponds, rivers), which is often unsafe to drink. 3 Half of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. 4 Many water sources in developing regions contain fecal matter, arsenic or other pollutants. 5 Worldwide, nearly 1 billion people practice open defecation, which is a major contributor to water contamination in these areas. 6 The World Health Organization estimates, “At least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with faeces.” 7 68 to 84 percent of water sources in South Asia are contaminated. 8 Half of rural households in Africa lack access t...

Water Well Donation: Africa, a Land of Water Scarcity

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If you’re considering a water well donation, Africa is in critical need of clean water. Water is essential to life, yet 1 in 3 Africans suffers from water scarcity. 1 Of the millions of people worldwide who are dependent on unprotected, unsafe water sources, nearly half live in sub-Saharan Africa. 2 Without access to reliable, clean water, the people in this region face a myriad of challenges. One of the main issues is that of health. When water is contaminated, it leads to disease, including diarrhea, typhoid, cholera and dysentery. According to Global Citizen, “115 people in Africa die every hour from disease related to poor sanitation, poor hygiene, and contaminated water.” 3 That’s more than a million people per year on a single continent. Worldwide, approximately 1.8 billion people die every year from diarrheal diseases, which are often caused by unclean water. 4 Children are particularly vulnerable to waterborne diseases. Their small, growing bodies have higher metabolisms a...

How Does My Water Well Donation Impact Lives?

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Perhaps you’ve become aware of the global water crisis, in which 40 percent of the world’s population suffers from water scarcity and a billion people lack access to clean water. 1 With some idea of the issue on a global scale, you may be wondering how a water well donation might impact lives on a personal scale. For girls and women, a nearby well could save them an hour a day. In areas like Asia and Africa, many people are forced to walk 30 minutes or more to the nearest water source, and it’s typically females who carry this burden. In one day, according to water.org, these women collectively spend some 200 million hours collecting water. 2 That’s time women could better spend earning income or caring for their families and time girls could better spend on their education. Sadly, the water they collect is often contaminated. Water in developing regions frequently contains fecal matter, arsenic or other pollutants. 3 This pollution brings a host of waterborne diseases, including ...

Why It’s Important to Donate Clean Water

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While most people in developed countries have ample access to clean water, 1.1 billion people worldwide lack such access. 1 This problem is particularly acute in developing countries, where many people rely on surface water that’s contaminated and leads to waterborne diseases. Often living below the poverty line, these people struggle to feed their families and typically can’t afford to purchase better options even if they’re available. Someone must donate clean water if these precious people are ever to live healthy lives, free of waterborne disease. The lack of clean water impacts life in various ways. Perhaps the most crucial aspect is the matter of health. Ohio University estimates, “Roughly, 80 percent of illnesses in developing countries are attributed to unclean water and poor sanitation.” 2 Children are particularly susceptible, and it’s estimated that these factors lead to 1.6 million children’s deaths every year. 3 Conversely, clean water, proper sanitation and hygiene cou...

Why Is Clean Water Important?

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Clean water is essential for life! Dirty and contaminated water can be deadly. Waterborne illnesses like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid fever, cholera, and Hepatitis A often result when contaminated water is consumed. This contamination is caused by industrial waste, animal waste, pollution, open defecation, and other sources. Why is clean water important? According to the United Nations, 1.9 billion people (27 percent of the world’s population) live in “potentially severely water-scarce” areas. 1 This is unacceptable and organizations around the world have jumped into action to provide safe, clean water for those people. GFA World has been serving in Asia for over 40 years, bringing clean water, humanitarian aid, educational opportunities, community development, and God’s love to the people of Asia. We are also planning to started providing these services in Rwanda as well, while looking forward to reaching many more African countries in the coming years. GFA World provides clean water...

How Can I Make a Water Well Donation in Africa?

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For over 40 years, GFA World has served in Asia, reaching over a dozen Asian nations. We’ve provided clean water, education for children, child sponsorship, and community development projects. We’ve also had a wonderful ministry to widows, leprosy patients, and slum dwellers. Now, we’re moving into Africa! This continent is home to over 1/5 of the world’s population and is known as the poorest continent in the world. Over 1.2 billion people reside in Africa and over half of that population is under 15 years old. The needs are great, and we are looking forward to helping share the love of Jesus with the people of Africa, starting in Rwanda. Water Well Donation Africa As we serve in Africa, we “aim to empower the poor to break the cycle of poverty and show God’s love.” Starting in Kigali, Rwanda, we have begun meeting the tangible needs of the people, and the ministry is planning on training national workers, launching clean water projects and medical initiatives, providing educational o...

How Can I Make a Water Well Donation?

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One of the most life-changing gifts you can make is a water well donation. The problem of water scarcity and its solution have been well researched by GFA World. The Problem It is estimated that 785 million people lack a basic drinking water source and at least 2 billion people use a water source that is contaminated with feces. 1 A basic drinking water source is an improved water source that is located within a round trip of 30 minutes. When people don’t have access to an improved water source, they often choose to drink contaminated water and risk waterborne illnesses. Access to clean water sources is most needed in developing countries. The Solution Generous people like you donate water wells to help where they are needed most. Over the past two decades, 30,000 wells have been drilled through GFA World and it’s partnerships worldwide. The wells are provided to communities where people have no access to clean water or where people are walking long distances to find water. Click here...