Commentary: H.B. Walk will help bring potable water to the poor

Californians must indeed be weary of the state’s drought, but consider this:

In water-impoverished countries such as Cambodia, India, Ghana, and Nigeria, clean water is more precious than gold.

In these countries, children die every day of waterborne diseases.

In such countries, women and children walk up to three miles each way, perhaps several times a day, to collect parasite-infested water that is slowly killing them. They always feel as though they have the flu. Children doing this cannot attend school.

Going for water is dangerous. It opens the women and children up to attack by wild animals, snakes, human traffickers and other criminals.

Every family in a village must collect water every day for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and cooking, not to mention the needs of the farm animals. If they had more water, they could grow more food.

The people walk long distances because previous water sources may have gone dry and they never had the funds to build a borewell with a pump system. Borewells last for generations.

That’s where Women of the Well (WOW) comes in. The group builds borewells in Africa, Asia and South America.

Many people in Orange County have generously supported the annual WOW Walk 4 Water, which is being held Saturday in Huntington Beach.

Some contributors have been creative in raising funds. Some ladies reaching 80 told friends they wanted checks for wells instead of gifts. An author in Pennsylvania built 10 wells (so far) with a percentage of the proceeds from a book. Businesses, civic and charitable organizations, schools and Brownie troops have also built wells and cisterns.

As an all-volunteer, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, Orange County-based Women of the Wells had its start in Huntington Beach seven years ago, when its founder learned about waterborne diseases and then invited 20 friends over for lunch. They all agreed that it was time to build wells.

Since the goal was to take clean water to as many people as possible, members wanted the best price they could find. The decision was simple. Top-of-the-line borewells at $1,800 was a screaming deal, and they went with it.

The group builds borewells in places where you can’t dig wells by hand, where you have to go much deeper to reach water. Our indigenous well builders drill anywhere from 60 to 360 feet down. Once they hit the water table, they continue drilling, since water levels fall some during the dry season.

A little effort makes a profound difference to the lives of villagers receiving wells.

For more information about the walk, call (949) 644-2182 or visit womenofthewells.org.

Register online or by mail or bring a check to registration — at 8:45 a.m. on the paved path on the beach where Beach Boulevard and Coast Highway intersect.

Parking is available on Beach Boulevard and Coast Highway and in the beach parking lot. We’ll be there, rain or shine.

GEORGIANA WILLIS is president of Women of the Wells.