World Water Day

“All the water that will ever be is right now.” - National Geographic

It is humbling to see the water sources that so many people on our planet rely on, as seen in these photos of the villages we are working to help. It is inspiring to our hearts and souls that half of the water filters and buckets given to these resilient people were provided by 5th graders at Holy Innocents Episcopal School, lead by their global service teacher Sherry Sawicki in a pilot project with CIH.

Our focus on Water: Love Blue for our 21st Exchange felt all the more meaningful as we walked the walk of solutions, rather than just lessons. This critical global issue made more tangible, and solvable, when just $50 gave a family access to clean water. These are the bigger steps that are possible! The little ones, such as eliminating straws, reducing single-use plastics, turning a running faucet off- especially when added collectively amongst the 1,000 children we are working with- little by little makes a difference.

Renowned child advocate Marianne Wright Edelman once stated, “Service is the rent we pay for the life we have been given.” We all live on this beautiful blue planet with all the water that will ever be. Reflecting on our good fortune of access to clean water, and connecting to those whose reality is starkly different, affords compassion that might lead to the power and privilege of service in lifting others, as the 5th graders at HIES have done. Akpe na mi, children. You are leading the way!