In search of ... water

The path is dusty, narrow and crooked, as we make our way by motorcycle to a remote village in the Ugandan bush. Three deep, in front of me sits the driver and Steven, a young boy of fourteen from our Freedom in Creation (FIC) art program. Steven is taking us to his village to see about a broken water well. Leaving the school we are now more than two miles away, which gives me an idea of just how far some of our children travel to participate. At the end of class today we asked them to speak up if they were aware of a water need in their community.

In northern Uganda, a now peaceful region impacted by more than 20 years of war, water remains the most fundamental building block for development. Water dictates for many whether or not they can go home. Water is a women's issue, with women and girls responsible for walking miles with heavy jerry cans to collect for the household. Water is a health issue. In 2008, more than 80% of diseases in this region were waterborne such as cholera, typhoid, diarrhea and malaria. And much like the arid climate of the American southwest, here in the dry season of Uganda, water is life for all creatures.

The motorcycle comes to a grinding stop. We've arrived in Steven's home village of five small straw huts, a smoldering fire and people gathered around under the shade of the sole mango tree. The boy's parents spring up from their papyrus matts to greet us. After greetings we follow the steps of a community elder through the brush to the broken borehole. We arrive some ten minutes later to find the well has been spoiled from a dropped pipe. We ask Steven where his mom gets her water, he continues down the cassava lined path. Some fifteen minutes later we arrive to find a small swampy hole, guarded by elephant grass on the edge of the forest. Here Steven kneels to tell us about this open source that serves as the primary water source for his community of 100 people. After a few minutes of documentation we learn that many in the village are experiencing waterborne illnesses, including severe diarrhea, cholera and malaria. We turn to walk home. My heavy eyes lift to the sunset silhouette of eucalyptus trees against the African sky. I wish I could say that this was my first experience, but I would be wrong. This is the second such case this week. Steven has been in our art program for more than four years now. From the clean, bright blue concrete walls of our classroom all we can see is his smiling face, ambition to learn, grow and become a man of his community. What we cannot see is his village, his family and his living conditions. We make no promises to the community, only that we will document what we have seen and try to help.

For six years now, Freedom in Creation has worked to raise awareness around these issues through the exhibition of the children's artwork and academic collaborations. Internationally FIC builds bridges; locally we return proceeds to communities like Stevens to provide fresh water for drinking, art as therapy for former child soldiers and education for a bright and peaceful future. The statistics are daunting. The United Nations claims that of all the Millennium Development Goals for 2015, that in the goal to provide sustainable access to safe drinking water to those who need it we are the farthest behind. Over a billion people worldwide lack access, yet this goal is the most obtainable. Certainly, if there is one thing that my short time in Uganda has taught me it is that this need is the most basic.

Thank you for your attention, introspection and proactive thinking. As we approach World Water Day, March 22nd here are a few things I thought about that we can all do… but I would love to hear from you.

RAISE AWARENESS, turn to your neighbor, a stranger or a friend to EDUCATE OTHERS with a story, fact or video about water, sing a song on the street, draw a mural, write a rap, research on the internet, give a presentation to your co-workers at lunch time, pray or meditate, ACT, write a letter to your local newspaper or congress person about foreign aid, the farm bill and water, CONSERVE, try using only 5 gallons (the daily amount of an African) of water for all your household chores, give up beef for a day (cattle drink a lot and agriculture accounts for more than 70% of water use on earth, so buy local produce, take shorter showers, forget about watering the lawn, ride a bike across country for water awareness, be conscious, ready to learn and MAKE A SMALL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT to a reputable organization who works in water development, give up or complement that five dollar a day latte with the gift of water... at $2500-4000 a well for a 1000 people, it really does make a difference. Finally, and if nothing else, simply tell others in the international community....

Why you are thankful for water?