The Amazing charity: water, in Photos

A couple of years ago I wrote a little noticed diary about a man who is bringing clean, potable water to thousands of folks in parts of the world where it’s badly needed. Read about Scott Harrison’s charity: water. I posted it on New Year’s Eve and that might explain the slow traffic.

This story is personal to me as one of my uncles lived in the Central African Republic, in Bangui, where he was stationed in the fifties and sixties to teach farming. As a kid I remember watching in awe the grainy B&W films he used to send to us twice a year.

Despite the economic downturn, charity: water has managed to perform miracles for the Bayaka in the Central African Republic.
charity: water has funded 199 water projects serving 216,489 people with clean and safe drinking water to one in every 19 people in Central African Republic. How do they do it? Simple, just $20 can give one person clean water for 20 years. An average water project costs $5,000 and can serve 250 people with clean, safe water.

I have been a member of this wonderful outfit for over a year, I am a monthly donor and I’m trying to recruit a few more. It is a worthy cause and if you can spare some dough, go here and donate.

Who are the Bakaya?

They are an African Pygmy tribe. They were one of the last hunter-gatherer societies in the world until the logging industry pushed them out of the forest. Now, they’re learning to live on the outskirts of villages, where they face rejection and abuse by locals who see them as animals who belong in the jungle. Many Bayaka live without clean water.

All photos by Esther Havens, Stan Patyrak and Scott Harrison.

Even though they are dirt poor, the kids always manage a smile.

This is a typical “house”.

You thought you had it tough? Well, here’s dinner. There is little food available so insects and bugs are on the menu.

The Bakaya walk to water sources for miles, often on a daily basis. As you can see, feet take a beating.

This kiddo here walks an average of 12 miles a day to fill up his container.

Same for this little girl. She spends more time fetching water than at school.

charity: water drills a water hole. Excitement is in the air.

Water is life. Another water well brings happiness, and time can be used to farm instead of walking miles after miles.

Here’s the donate button again. Remember, $20 will bring clean water to one person for 20 years. Not a bad deal!