Water for South Sudan (WFSS) is an organization that builds wells in South Sudan. This is needed because the water in South Sudan is not easily accessible, and most of the time carries disease. Women and girls walk hours all day, every day only to bring small amounts of water home. Water for South Sudan allows all children to go to school and all adults to focus on better things. This is because, when a well is placed, the people have the time to go to school and help in clinics. Adult females can care for their family instead of having to walk. Villages will flourish when a well is placed.
Kenmore Middle School is raising money to help WFSS build a $5,000 well. The students read a book called “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park. In this book, we see the daily battle to get water in Sudan. Also, when the women and children find water, it is usually full of harmful bacteria. In the novel, a boy named Salva fights to survive during the Second Sudanese Civil War. The book states, “The water that filled the hole was filthy, more mud than liquid. It seeped in so slowly that it took a long time to collect even a few gourdsful. … Waiting for water. Here, for hours at a time.” Plus, the water isn’t the cleanest, and there is the possibility of becoming sick. The reason KMS is raising money is to supply clean, easy-to-reach drinking water for the south Sudanese people.
Salva Dut is the main character in “A Long Walk to Water” and is living today. He is the head of Water for South Sudan. He was referred to as one of the thousands of the Lost Boys of Sudan in the Second Sudanese Civil War. He spent many months fleeing home to find safety. As the war broadened, Salva was forced to leave many refugee camps. After years of peril, he was adopted by a family in Rochester at age 22. Later, Salva was reunited with his father. They hadn’t seen each other in 19 years. When they saw each other, Salva’s father had recently undergone surgery on his stomach. This was necessary because he spent years drinking contaminated water. This motivated Salva to make a change. He formed Water for South Sudan, a non-profit charity organization, bringing water to people in South Sudan.
Water for South Sudan has already taken action in many places. They drill deep into the ground, after finding a plot of land with water underneath. “The red giraffe” is the tall, red drill that WFSS uses to get water. The people of the village can help by digging and setting stone or cement. After the water is found, the well is built, and everyone can enjoy the water. Everyone can pump the water they need. There are some cases when the bag, which holds the water pumped into the ground, breaks once, twice or many times, and the drilling process is slowed. Overall, Water for South Sudan will be continuing their job and soon, maybe, all will have clean water. You can visit www.waterforsouthsudan.org to see what WFSS has already done.
As we (Kenmore Middle School) go through our fundraising process, we’ll do many activities to reach our goal of $5,000 to build a well. The seventh graders voted on the activities we will do, including a can-and-bottle drive, selling tickets for a movie day, and placing collection jugs throughout the school, including one designed after a well in the front hall. Students can write their names on a paper water drop to show others who has donated. Lastly, KMS will have a spirit week, and each day has a special theme: crazy hat day, Sabers day, ugly sweater day, twin day and a Valentine’s Day Friday. These events will take place throughout the months of January and February. After the fundraiser, KMS will celebrate with an assembly. For every collection jug that we fill to the top with money, one teacher will have water poured over their head. Students will be selected in a raffle to pour the water. The raffle will also decide which teachers will get wet.
This is a great cause, because a small amount of water goes a long way. One glass of clean water could decide, for someone in South Sudan, if they will survive. KMS students who read the book were ready to help this great cause.
