Valentine’s Day – WaterAid – The Perfect Gift

It is a well-known fact that our bodies are 75% water. That water is used and must be replaced everyday.

Almost everyone has heard the expression, “You never miss the water until the well runs dry.” On two occasions over the past two years I have found this expression to be true. Two years ago I was feeling sick to my stomach, my head hurt, I was dizzy and was having trouble breathing. I had no idea what the problem was. It turned out that I was dehydrated.  A year later, I was taking medication because I had a bronchial infection. I took a pill without water and my throat was severely burned as a result. These two incidents both required medical attention and treatment. In other words I was extremely ill because I had not been drinking enough water. I was then and am still embarrassed that living in one of the richest countries in the world, in a home I owned with a perfectly good running water system, yet I was sick because I did not drink water.

When I heard about the mission of WaterAid, to work with local organizations to provide safe water and sanitation to people living in poor communities, I personally identified with those served by WaterAid. If I, a well-educated woman with free and easy access to clean and sanitary water could become ill due to a lack of water, imagine how bad things are for people living in communities without access to clean water and proper sanitation.

Everyone can help with the WaterAid mission. They have made it easy for you to help by creating a variety of gifts ranging in price from the cost  of a box of chocolates to the cost  of a chocolates, roses and a dinner out. Select one of the following and make a gift of clean water and sanitation this Valentine’s Day.

For $25.00 you can give one person access to clean, safe water and sanitation for life

For $50.00 you can give four faucets for a village water point which provides communities with access to safe clean water

For $100.o0 you can give a handpump which protects water so it is clean and safe to drink and cook with

For $150 you can give the gift of construction of a well which provides a permanent supply of  safe, clean water

For $250 you can give a composting toilet which produces compost from human waste that can be used to fertilize crops

This Valentine’s Day, instead of giving chocolate and roses, join WaterAid and give the gift of water to those in need and change the world. Please give a gift that gives life, literally gives life.