Water. It is one of our most basic needs. Without it, we feel sick. We can get headaches and stomachaches, and, in severe occasions, we can even faint. Even with this being said, we are lucky. Over 1 billion people all over the world don’t have access to clean water. The organization charity: water is trying to help people get the water that they need to survive. As their motto says, “Clean water changes absolutely everything.”

Every 19 seconds a child dies from lack of water or from diseases that accompany unsanitary water. Every 19 seconds. That’s about how long it takes for someone to read the first paragraph of this article. Diseases found in dirty water affect women and children more than anyone else, and babies are affected the worst. The organization charity: water is a foundation that works to help these people find clean water. When you donate, they take your money and put it toward helping people get access to clean water.

Most of the women in the countries they help spend at least 3 hours a day walking to the nearest swamp or river to try and find water. A lot of these women have to walk alone, and they are often attacked. Pipeline — a branch of charity: water — works to train local mechanics to set up and fix water lines to people’s villages; this will help keep women safer since they will not have to walk nearly as far for water.

While all of these people have access to water, it could kill them to drink it. Dirty water kills more people than anything else, including war. Water carries diseases that cause diarrhea, dehydration, and death. If you were in these people’s situation, would you rather drink the water and risk it, or would you die of dehydration? This is the choice these people have to make. With the help of charity: water and other organizations, they hopefully won’t have to make choices like this one anymore.

While the people of charity: water are doing their part to help the world and provide for others, they can’t do it without us. To get involved, go to their website. The first page you see tells you how to donate. You can help a family get clean water, or your money can go toward training people to fix water lines as well as other projects — such as getting the necessary equipment to get people access to clean water. 

We are so fortunate to have all the luxuries that we do. Clean water is one of the most underestimated resources we have. Without it, most women and children would not be educated since they would instead spend their time going to get water. Most women in countries without direct access to water spend more time going to find water than doing anything else. Having clean water available makes our lives so much easier. Water changes everything.