Water is a precious resource that is essential for human survival. However, it is also a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce. Today, there is a growing water crisis in the world, with millions of people around the globe lacking access to clean and safe drinking water.

The consequences of the water crisis are dire. In many parts of the world, children are unable to attend school because they spend hours each day collecting water for their families. Women are also affected, as they are often responsible for collecting water and caring for sick family members. Furthermore, the lack of access to clean water often perpetuates a cycle of poverty, as people who are sick are unable to work and provide for their families.

About Thirst Project

The Thirst Project is a nonprofit organization, and as such, all the funds it collects will be utilized to finance the establishment of freshwater wells. The organization employs the services of local drillers who drill deep into the earth’s crust to access natural water tables. The installation of a freshwater well allows communities to obtain safe and clean water for their use.

The Problem – Dirty Water

The issue at hand is contaminated water. Typically, the responsibility of fetching water falls on women and children aged between 8 to 13 years old. Consequently, women are often unable to work or financially contribute to their households. Additionally, children cannot attend school and receive an education as they spend thousands of hours annually fetching water.

• The absence of a nearby, safe water source hinders the development of sustainable agricultural production, which in turn impacts food security. 
• Sustainable agriculture production, necessary for ensuring food security, cannot be established in communities without access to a nearby, safe water source. 
• For communities, the lack of access to a nearby, safe water source impedes the establishment of sustainable agriculture production, necessary for food security. 
• Women are unable to secure employment or provide for their families as they must walk an average distance of 3.75 miles every day to retrieve water.

Solution for Clean Water

The thirst project takes the initiative and chooses the preferred method of implementation in the field to build hand-pump freshwater wells. There are different approaches and technologies available to provide solutions to the water crisis, but the most sustainable one is the hand pump borehole well. It doesn’t require any external power sources, making it independent of communities’ ability to pay for fuel and the unreliability of solar panels that are prone to breaking and theft.

The installation of a freshwater well results in women and children having to spend less time trekking to obtain water, which enables them to concentrate more on supporting their families and pursuing an education. In addition, the availability of a well enhances economic productivity, food security, and educational prospects, among other benefits. The provision of clean water has the potential to transform lives in significant ways.

How did the Cooking for Cause Organization raise over $5000 to build a freshwater well in Uganda?

Our aim with Cooking for Cause is to support a worthy cause and generate funds through the organization of cooking classes. Cooking classes were initiated by Shivi Jain and Chef Sajan, who is the head chef at the Tabla Indian Restaurant. Each month, we select a cuisine and invite members of the local community to participate in the classes, where they learn how to prepare five to six dishes and then taste them at the end.  

The entry fee for one guest is set at $20, and all the revenue generated from the admission fee is contributed to Thirst project for building a freshwater well in Uganda. The chefs and their assistants offer their valuable time as a donation. Over the course of five months, the initiative raised more than $6000.

Takeaway 

For a lifetime supply of clean water for one person, only $25 is needed, while a freshwater well to serve an entire community in need can be established with $12,000 in funding.

Let us work together to make the dream of “clean water as a basic right for everyone” a reality. To support and donations, visit: https://my.thirstproject.org/fundraiser/2396528