A ripple effect for girls

It’s scary to think about losing a friend.

But that was almost a reality for 13-year-old Joan in Uganda last year. One of her school friends contracted typhoid from drinking dirty water. Thankfully, after getting medical care at a clinic, she pulled through. The memory hasn’t left Joan.

“I hear that many people in Uganda die of typhoid,” she says solemnly. “I fear the disease.”

“When I look at that water, I see small particles like worn off metals, soil, sometimes oil. For me, that water is not safe.”

In Joan’s community, like many others in Uganda, girls are often tasked with fetching water, which can be dangerous to drink. Many children contract bilharzia and typhoid (water-borne diseases) from drinking dirty water – or not being able to clean their hands.

“Girls like me have to walk long distances to fetch water from the lake or local borehole,” says Joan. “Some get to school late. Others return home alone really late at night.”

Joan is the Health Prefect at her school in Uganda. Her job is to help educate her peers on the importance of good sanitation and hygiene, like handwashing. This is hard to do when the water you have is dirty.

That’s why Joan and her classmates were so happy to receive a new water purification system for their school, thanks to caring Canadians like you.

Joan pours a cup of clean water at her school. Thanks to the new water purification system, children don’t lose time fetching water and no longer contract water-borne diseases.

Joan and her friends now have access to clean water at right at school. Because the girls don’t have to worry about fetching water, they arrive at school on time, and miss school less often. Best of all – they don’t get sick any more.

“Since my school received the water purification system, I’ve seen a lot of changes. Children no longer get sick. Even children that never took water at school, now drink water!” Joan exclaims.

Clean water changes everything – especially for girls like Joan.

In many communities in which Canadian Feed The Children works – in Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda and even some First Nations communities in Canada – dirty water is still a big concern. You can help create a ripple effect for a girl like Joan with a gift today. You’ll give so much more than clean water – you’ll be helping a child stay healthy, continue their education and follow their dreams. Will you join us?