Carry the Water 5K Aims to Make Clean Drinking Water More Accessible for Rural Indian Families

In India, it is not uncommon for women to make six trips a day to retrieve enough water to support their household. The trips that are made in rural regions can average 10 miles a day, carrying up to 25 liters per trip. Each time, women load jars or buckets of water on their heads. The pressure from these containers, added with the distance walked, leads to back, feet, and posture problems. Not only is carrying the water detrimental to these women’s health, but the water itself also poses a threat.

Indian women are at a higher risk for infections due to frequent contact with unsanitary water. One example is trachoma, a water-washed disease that can lead to blindness if left untreated. Other diseases that can be contracted include hepatitis A, and leptospirosis, an infection that spreads through water tainted by animal urine.

It is common for girls in rural India to drop out of school to help carry out the burden of moving water. Girls as young as ten contribute to this task, which makes them lag behind and miss class. This eventually causes them to abandon their education altogether. Unfortunately, this opens the gate for traffickers to take advantage of these women. The state of Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of trafficked women and child laborers in India. Due to severe poverty and regular drought, many rural families end up migrating to the urban center of Hyderabad. Human traffickers take advantage of this situation and trick women and children into flesh trade and human slavery.

You can help these families by participating in the Carry the Water 5k Race, Fun Run, and One-Mile Walk on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh.

All proceeds from Carry the Water benefit Global Hope India and Dynamic Water’s clean water projects in India. Registration is just $30 until September 8, 2107. After that date, registration prices will increase. Registration can be completed online at CarryTheWaterNC.org. All paid participants will receive a free t-shirt and entry to a picnic provided by Moe’s Southwest Grill and an after-party with a DJ, corn hole tournament and more. The run kicks off at 10 a.m. Awards and lunch will follow at 11 a.m. and last until 1 p.m.

Global Hope India’s goal is to raise $40,000 for clean water projects in India on Saturday, September 23. A single clean water project costs a total of $4,000 to provide a bore well, submersible pump, overhead tank, and six gravity taps. That same single project then provides access to clean drinking water to cover 2,000 thirsty villagers!

To stay up to date with Carry the Water NC, join the official Facebook group at Facebook.com or follow on Instagram at @CarryTheWaterNC or on Twitter at @CarryTheWaterNC.

About Carry the Water NC

Carry the Water NC is a public charity and federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Raleigh, North Carolina. They raise funds to transform thirsty villages in India with sustainable solutions to clean drinking water. All donations are tax deductible.  Federal Tax ID: 22-3894982.  For more information email them today at: info@carrythewaternc.org.