Introduction

Welcome to Walking for Water!

Did you know that many children in developing countries around the world must walk an average of 6 km every day to get clean water? By participating in the Walking for Water campaign, school children can learn about this important topic and help solve this problem for other kids.

Walking for Water is an awareness and fundraising initiative which takes place around World Water Day (22 March). School children aged 10-15 are sponsored by friends and family to walk 6 kilometres, while carrying 6 litres of water in a backpack. With two important results: kids learn about global water issues and raise funds to help solve them. Lectures by teachers and external guest on the importance of clean drinking water and proper sanitation ensure the educational nature of the event.

The experience helps kids understand what many children their age in developing countries must do every single day, often at the expense of being in school. It is a motivating and effective community event to engage the younger generation on an important topic and teach them that they can make a difference in the lives of others.

History

The concept of Walking for Water was pioneered in the Netherlands by NGO Aqua for All, and has grown in popularity every year since it started in 2003. Results have been impressive — in 2010, 18.000 children from over 400 schools Walked for Water, raising €1.2 million for water projects around the world. 2011 was the first year that Walking for Water spread over the borders of the Netherlands. More than 25.000 children from the Netherlands, South Africa, England, Scotland and Malta were participating. Together the children raised funds for projects in Tanzania, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Schools can choose a project to fund with the money raised, and see the project unfold online. Read more in the about page.

 

Walking for Water around the world

Akvo had an ever larger 2012 event, with students from 11 countries participating. We have created a set of manuals with which other organisations around the world can organise their own Walking for Water event or improve upon the concept. If some simple guidelines are followed, organisations are free to use the concept and logo of Walking for Water. The guidelines were created to both ensure the openness of the campaign — any school, development organization or charity can be the initiating partner — and a balance between fundraising and education.

Blog, photo’s and video’s

Read these blogs, look at these photo’s, and watch these video’s to get a flavour of the 2012 event in the Netherlands. The movie below, which was made in De Leidsche Rijn, The Netherlands, during the 2009 edition of Walking for Water, gives a good impression of the event.