(May 01, 2019) –
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Starting May 4, thousands of people across Canada will lace up and join their peers in 17 countries around the world to participate in World Vision’s Global 6K for Water initiative, aimed at providing clean water to communities in need.
Six kilometres is the average round-trip distance women and children in the developing world walk for water that is often not safe to drink. This year, starting May 4 through October, participants in nearly 80 locations across Canada will run or walk to raise funds for World Vision’s clean water projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Each day, nearly 1000 children in the developing world die from diarrhea caused by contaminated water, poor sanitation, and improper hygiene,” said Michael Messenger, President and CEO of World Vision Canada. “We are motivated by the thousands of Canadians who join with others around the world to fund initiatives like the Global 6K for Water. We can together continue to deliver clean water to children.”
In just four years, World Vision’s Global 6K for Water has ignited communities, churches, students and residents around the world. Last year, more than 48,000 people worldwide participated in 1,075 locations in 23 countries and benefited more than 63,000 people in the developing world.
This year, participating Canadians will support the rural community of Menkao, near Congo’s capital Kinshasa, where World Vision aims to improve the lives of 13,834 people through access to clean water, and better sanitation and hygiene facilities. Only 55 percent of Menkao’s population has access to clean water, and only 15 percent can collect water within 30 minutes' walk of their home. Women and girls will walk for up to three hours to get water, affecting their ability to work or go to school. and increasing the risk of abuse and assault.
World Vision Ambassador Joan Kelley Walker recently travelled with World Vision to the Congo to experience the need for water projects. “I’ve met children who are excited about the prospect of having clean water to help their families and communities, to improve their health, and to enable them to attend school for a full day rather than interrupt their day with long walks for water,” she said.
World Vision is the largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the developing world and its clean water initiatives have to date benefited more than 12.7 million people.
For more information about Global 6K for Water events and host sites, please visit
here.
Quick Facts:
- From May 4 onward, nearly 80 locations across Canada will host the Global 6K for Water, inviting hundreds of participants to run or walk to raise funds for clean water funds in the DRC.
- 6K is the average round-trip distance children in the developing world walk for water that is often contaminated, leading to waterborne diseases.
- To date, World Vision’s initiatives have provided clean water to over 12.7 million people
About World Vision
World Vision is a relief, development and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, World Vision is dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
For more information, visit www.worldvision.ca or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.