At Operation Blessing we celebrate World Water Day all month and all year long. So how will you celebrate World Water Day? The word celebration conjures up images of a fiesta, party, balloons, and an overall party atmosphere. Surrounded by other holidays like St Patrick’s Day and Easter you would think candy and glee would be part of weekly celebrations up to the date of the holiday, which is March 22. In contrast, this is a different kind of holiday. Celebrating World Water Day 2021 is meant to garner attention to a growing problem. Moreover, it is meant to spur you to action on a cause of the highest importance. Furthermore, it is not a memorial, but an early warning sign of an issue we cannot ignore.
Not surprisingly the core of the celebration is of course the subject of water. It is one of the most vital resources that mankind has. Fresh drinking water is essential. Consequently, life simply cannot exist if people do not have fresh water. We have to conserve it, manage it, and help make it available for people who need it.
Lack Of Access To Clean Water
For Operation Blessing World Water Day is an every month every day thing. What makes it so critical is that there are people in the world who do not have access to a reliable source of clean water. Put simply they are putting potentially diseased water into their bodies. The substance they need so desperately to help them is hurting them. We all need water to cook, hydrate, and for sanitation. Water Day is there to bring attention to the people who depend on a source of water that is either unreliable, unsafe, or too scarce.
Accordingly the need to bring attention to this problem is at the crux of water day. There are even some who believe we are in a world water crisis. This valuable resource in which we depend on so heavily is inadequate to meet the needs of all the people who need it. By celebrating we are doing a number of things to help people who are suffering without clean water or clean water solutions.
Awareness of The World Water Crisis
One thing about a world water crisis to consider. We cannot hope to solve one, if we do not acknowledge there is one. Because of this every day has to be water day at Operation Blessing. Many of the other issues we face as an organization intersect with water problems. After a disaster strikes one of the many concerns is making sure people have safe water to drink. When a pandemic washes over the globe, the need for sanitation facilities is critical to stop the flow of virus. Many of these sanitation solutions require water. Thus, many issues we face boil back to water. It seems that water permeates through many of the problems we encounter.
How Your Support Makes The Clean Water Program Work
First and foremost we raise money and procure resources to help communities find solutions to their water problems. That is not all. We partner with communities to help them solve the problems that prohibit them from getting the water they need. Raising money is just one component. We also help communities install the hardware to physically change their situation.
Understanding Water Scarcity
Water issues refer to a whole basket of causes that result in water scarcity. In many smaller communities around the world, including developing nations, citizens do not have access to water technology that could help them. This includes water technology in the form of things like indoor plumbing, water catchment systems, water filtration equipment, and sanitation systems. Without these technologies communities cannot solve their water scarcity issues.
Our goal is to use financial resources, expertise, and technology to move communities in need to positions where they can get the clean water they need. This involves an organized process. Here are the stages of that process often referred to as water solutions.
Water Solutions
Water solutions, or clean water solutions, are stages designed to move communities out of water scarcity. It involves a thorough process to help ensure efficiency and success. There are six steps in the process of bringing clean water solutions to a community in need. Here is a simple synopsis of those steps.
Steps To Water Solutions
Assessment
Every community is different. Water issues included. Even communities in the same country or region may have vastly different needs in terms of what will solve their water problems. Properly assessing what the community needs is very important at the early stages of a water solution. By assessing we can determine what logistical problems a community may be facing in terms of water scarcity.
Determination
Following the water assessment, we move to another key planning step. This stage is where we determine the best solution for the community. Decisions here can involve a number of potential action steps to solve the problem. It can involve everything from recommending well drilling to installing rain catchment systems. In other cases, water may be available but unsafe. In this case a filtration system may be the best option. Drinking water may not even be the issue. Sanitation problems can require a water solution too. Sometimes something as simple as the installation of a hand washing station could be the right recommendation.
Community Partnership
Any solution involving water requires genuine cooperation with the community involved. Installing a water solution is more than just technology. It is a partnership with the community. That partnership requires that there is a clear plan that the community supports. Without this step all the solutions in the world may not work properly. This is important since the community will be managing their system at some point.
Implementation
Once these previous stages are determined it is time to actually implement our water solution. Here is the stage where Operation Blessing will actually come work with the community. This is when the technology is installed to help the community. Implementation is not the final stage of the process. This does lead us to the next stage, called completion.
Completion
While implementation of the technology is important, you cannot overlook training. In the completion phase you give the community the access and training to properly use the system. Operation Blessing makes sure they have the tools. Tools are only part of the completion phase however. We show the community how to use the system. Additionally we teach them the principles of WASH. Wash stands for water, sanitation, and hygiene. Simply put there is no point in installing a system if the community is not trained on how to use it. Operation Blessing also has an inauguration ceremony to celebrate the incredible blessing of the new water system. It is sort of a mini water day for the community:)
Monitoring
Operation Blessing is in partnership with the community. As such, we help monitor the systems we help install. Similarly we follow up to make sure that things are going smoothly in a community in which they were initiated. This is an ongoing stage.
Celebrate Clean Water Solutions
So now when you celebrate world water day 2021 remember you are supporting something that can potentially be life changing. Moreover, it is a joyous thing when a community can a enjoy a glass of clean safe water. So are you ready to celebrate World Water Day. Are you ready to help provide clean water solutions to those in need?
Partner With Operation Blessing
Now it is your turn to join the celebration as a partner with Operation Blessing! Accordingly, your involvement makes the difference. You can do this in a number of simple ways. First, you could choose to donate any amount to help us provide water solutions. Additionally, you could start your own peer to peer fundraiser to raise money for communities in need. Finally, you could choose to be a digital volunteer by sharing posts or information with others about water issues. Thank you for giving the priceless gift of clean water to vulnerable children, families, and whole communities around the world.
