The Cause
The global water crisis- that is, the lack of access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation- is a devastating and urgent reality. In the developing world, the statistics are staggering. Did you know that a child dies about every fifteen seconds as a result of water-related issues? And water-borne disease isn’t the only issue associated with this tragedy. The water crisis also presents serious social and economic implications that impact entire villages.
However, attainable and sustainable solutions do exist and the suffering of those affected can be minimized through creative efforts, such as the Wheels for Wells water tour. The uniqueness of this ride is it’s commitment to making a difference for the people of Northern Africa, a region specifically and impacted by an appalling lack of access to clean drinking water. In 2011, Wheels for Wells raised $20,000 for the purposes of supporting clean water initiatives, including the installation of an irrigation system, a well cap and a brand new well. With the 2012 tour, we expect to double our numbers and provide access to clean drinking water to even more communities in Northern Africa.
The following statistics are provided courtesy of water.org, unwater.org and unicef.org.
- 884 million people globally lack access to clean drinking water.
- 3.41 million people die each year from water-related causes each year.
- The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.
- Globally, women spend 200 million hours a day collecting water for their families and carrying it home.
- Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness.
- Of the nearly 3.5 million deaths each year from water-related disease, 84 percent are children.
- Lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills children at a rate equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every four hours.
- Every hour that women and children spend collecting water from distant, often polluted sources is time not spent working at an income-generating job, caring for family members, or attending school.
