Written by: Pam Platt, WaterStep Communications Specialist
The International Day of the Girl is observed annually on October 11. It is an occasion to highlight and advocate for girls’ rights around the world.
WaterStep regards access to safe water as a basic human right and is committed to improving the lives of as many people as possible, worldwide, with that sustainable access.
On this International Day of the Girl, we celebrate Louise Nguiama, 3 years old, of the Kwilu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
She and her mother wake every morning at 5:30 a.m., a time when most of our toddlers are asleep, to walk to a community hospital which is part of a pilot program. In this project, WaterStep and the SanRu rural health network are collaborating to bring safe water, sanitation, and hygiene to DRC hospitals to improve health and health care and to reduce waterborne illness.
With WaterStep chlorine- and bleach-making equipment and practices, the hospital offers at least 5 liters of safe drinking water to patients, who had none before. It also offers safe water to area communities and neighbors such as Louise and her mother, who take the water home with them. Louise says, “My tummy doesn’t hurt when I drink this water and I can play all day.”
WaterStep’s safe water programs have helped 11 million people in 70 countries, many of them girls like Louise. You can help even more of them by making a donation today.
