Non-profit organization calls on people to participate in their annual summer fundraising event for health, education, and equality.
Good Neighbors Canada has built 12 wells and brought safe drinking water to communities in Zambia.
The organization is a part of the International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Good Neighbors that has 47 similar country offices around the world. Good Neighbors Canada has been organizing a summer fundraising event to bring water to communities in Zambia since 2021.
Individuals interested in supporting the cause can participate in the virtual challenge this summer. The event is a virtual physical challenge that participants can complete in their own time.
Starring Aug. 26 and running until Sept. 29 and is a virtual race where people are called on to challenge themselves for any sort of physical activity.
The event this year aims to raise enough funds for 6 more wells that will support around 400 to 1,000 people.
Rachel Morrison, project manager at Good Neighbors Canada said, “Good Neighbors Zambia works with some rural villages where people’s closest source of water is up to a four hour walk away. They have to go every single day to get water which is often contaminated and can make them feel poorly.”
Morrison added that the lack of proper and clean water sources near their communities also contributes to increase school drop-out rates and gender inequality.
“When there are multiple children in a family, it’s the girls that will have to go [to get water] so that the boys can stay in school. And that sort of contributes to a gendered education gap and therefore an opportunity gap in adulthood. So, we want to support health, we want to support gender equality, we want to support education, and so we are building water wells so there is an accessible, safe supply of clean drinking water in the middle of these villages,” said Morrison.
Participants who sign up will receive a participation kit which includes a Step4Water t-shirt, a wristband, a medal, and a few other items. The participants will also be able to opt-in to have their names on the wells built by Good Neighbors in Zambia.
“Their names will be listed on a sign in front of the well so that their generosity and participation will forever be in that village. It is a little legacy that people can leave so that you feel connected to that community even though we are quite far away.”
Interested participants need to pay a $30 entry fee which covers the cost of the participation kit. There are also group sign-up options available.
The organization is also looking for one individual, business, or organization willing to fund one well which is estimated to cost around $4,500.
Along with challenging oneself with physical activity for a cause, participants will have the opportunity to participate in weekly games and challenges and possibly win prizes.
The event, while mainly aimed at fundraising, is also hoped to bring families and groups of people together through the activities and challenges.
Interested individuals will be able to sign up at any time before and within the campaign period.
More information and sign-up link can be found on Good Neighbors Canada’s event page on their website: https://goodneighborscanada.ca/event/step4water.
