Community members walk for water

May 7, 2019

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

Water is a source of life and in many areas of the world it is a hard thing to access. On average those having to fetch water in the Democratic Republic of Congo have to walk six kilometres every day, and the water they collect is not suitable for drinking. Most of these water gatherers are children.
To help these youth, World Vision created the 6K Walk for Water event four years ago. This has become an annual event hosted in towns worldwide with over 40,000 people participating.
This was Bancroft's first year participating and roughly 150 people took part in the walk on Saturday, May 4. For organizers Valerie Switzer and Wess Hill, the goal was to raise $2,500, but the walkers were able to collect more than $15,000. This means that roughly 300 children will no longer have to walk for six kilometres a day, and will have fresh drinking water close to home.
Thanks to the support of the walkers, these children will now have access to safe drinking water and the opportunity to go to school instead of walking six kilometres, which is roughly the equivalent of travelling from Bancroft to Bird's Creek, to collect unsafe water every day.
The Bancroft 6K Walk for Water started at the Dungannon Recreation Centre, then down Hwy 62 South and onto Detlor Road. They then walked the trails system surrounding the centre and returned to the centre through the soccer fields.
As they walked through the soccer fields participants took turns carrying water buckets and barrels to experience what the children in the Democratic Republic of Congo experience.