Disclosure: I am participating in a paid campaign on behalf of P&G and The Motherhood to share information about the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program.
When my kids were little, they used to like taking long baths. Though I wanted to indulge them in this time, I was particular about them using too much water during bath time. So I began to tell them that if they kept the water running in the bathtub for too long, there may not be enough left for the fishies in the sea. Somehow, they then understood that water does not come in endless supply.
We all want to be good role models for our children — to teach good values and how to give back to society. To do that means having frank discussions with your children about the hardships that other people have to endure, both here in this country and around the world. And sadly, one of those hardships is poverty.
While many of us don’t think about where our clean water will come from, sadly this is a reality for 663 million people on this planet without access to clean water, according to a 2015 progress report by Unicef and the World Health Organization. Let that number sink in for just a moment. That is over two times the population of the United States. Clean drinking water has even become one of the 17 sustainable development goals that the United Nations has set for its agenda for the next 15 years.
How is that possible? Eighty-five percent of the world’s population lives in the driest half of the planet, as stated by United Nations figures. And if that weren’t bad enough, the population is expected to continue growing while water availability is expected to decrease in many regions.
More than 840,000 people die from inadequate water supply (including related sanitation and hygiene deaths), according to Tropical Medicine & International Health. That is more than the entire population of San Francisco. We need to do something now.
It should come as no surprise that clean water has the power to transform the lives of children and their families. Clean water could mean improvements in their health if children no longer get sick from drinking dirty water. It may also mean being hydrated enough for their bodies to function properly, helping them to grow up stronger and healthier. A healthier body means fewer days missed from school, leading to a better education. When parents are no longer sick themselves, or taking care of sick children, they can work and earn a regular income to provide stability for their families.
The P&G Purifier of Water packet is a powder technology invented by P&G laundry scientists that transforms dirty water into clean drinking water. It packs the power of a water treatment plant into a packet the size of a tea bag. Through the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program, these packets have been distributed through emergency relief efforts, NGO partners and governments in more than 75 countries. The program has provided more than nine billion liters of clean drinking water to date, and P&G is committed to delivering 15 billion liters of clean water by 2020.
So what can you do to help?
– Watch the Power of Clean Water video. Every view donates a day of clean drinking water to a child in need. The YouTube link is: https://youtu.be/f6cNvjSWZyM.
– When you’re done watching, help spread awareness of the importance of clean water. Spread the word or donate by sharing the video with your friends and family so more clean drinking water will be donated around the world.
– Get involved. Learn more about the importance of clean drinking water at sites like https://www.csdw.org/csdw/clean-drinking-water-crisis.shtml.
– Donate to the program at www.csdw.org. A small amount can make a big impact. It costs about 10 cents to share a P&G packet with a family in a developing country, and each one provides enough drinking water for a family of five for an entire day. Just $7.50 provides enough water for a year for a child, and $30 provides enough water for an entire family for a year.
Also, be sure to leave a comment here after watching the Power of Clean Water video. One randomly selected reader will receive a P&G product basket valued at over $50 AND a $30 donation in their honor to provide clean water for a family in need for one year!
Clean water can lead to improved health, education, and economic opportunity. Let’s do what we can to help be a role model for our own children and for children around the world.
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of US & DC who are 18 years of age or older. Giveaway starts 10/5/2015 and ends 10/15/2015. Sponsored by The Motherhood in partnership with Procter & Gamble. For a full list of rules, click here.