Australian Student Leadership Association

Walk4Water is a community walk to be held on the 28^th of September along Wollongong’s coastline, which aims to raise $10,000 in funds for WaterAid and in particular their work in Timor Leste. This student led community initiative is focused on heightening community awareness of the global inequalities surrounding access to clean water.

Participants are asked to fundraise beforehand, and then on the day take part in either a short morning walk or a longer afternoon walk, carrying buckets of water to simulate the struggles of millions worldwide in the simple collection of daily water. By contributing funds to WaterAid, the event hopes to combat poverty by enabling some of the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Walk4Water will be held rain, hail or shine. It doesn’t stop people in developing countries from collecting water and so it won’t stop us!

Why Walk For Water?

Access to water and basic sanitation is a basic human right yet 1.1 billion people do not have access to these resources- approximately one in six people on earth. 

Millions of women and children in developing countries spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources. They walk on average 6km to collect water, and carry loads of up to 20kg. The stress on their bodies shortens their lives. In collecting water, millions of children and women cannot attend school or work and thus they are trapped in the cycle of poverty. Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. For children under age five, water-related diseases are the leading cause of death. 88 percent of all diseases are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.

Improving water access is vital for breaking the cycle of poverty. Together we can make a difference!

Why WaterAid?

WaterAid is an international charity. Their mission is to overcome poverty by enabling the world’s poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Why Timor Leste?

The newfound state of Timor-Leste, or East Timor, with a population of only one million inhabitants has suffered huge human and social costs as a result of its 25 year independence struggle with Indonesia, which has destroyed much of the country's infrastructure including irrigation and water supply systems.

 The climate of Timor-Leste is characterised by extreme conditions with little or no rain falling in the north of the island for almost eight months of the year. When the rains finally come they can bring with them large-scale flooding which washes pollution into the waterways. Because of this water quality is often poor with urban water pollution a serious issue in some cities.

A climate favourable to mosquitoes and poor sanitation in the cities means that malaria is one of the major causes of death and has a large impact on economic and educational development.

The WaterAid programme in East Timor aims to deliver sustainable, community managed water and sanitation services to rural communities in Aileu District as well as health and hygiene education in Aileu, Baucau, Manatuto and Lautem Districts.

Who is the Walk4Water Organising Committee?

The organising committee are a group of second year students from the University of Wollongong’s Black Opal Leadership Program. This group of like-minded tertiary students have joined to develop leadership skills, global knowledge and implement projects at a community level.

Sponsorship

We encourage every participant to be sponsored to participate in the walk.

THERE IS A PRIZE FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS COLLECTED THE MOST FUNDS PER WALK WITH A SPECIAL PRIZE  AWARDED  ON THE DAY.  

THERE IS ALSO A PRIZE FOR THE SCHOOL WHO HAS COLLECTED THE MOST FUNDS.

There is a minimum amount of funds to be raised for participation.

Minimum Funds Raised for Participation

Early Bird Registration (before 21/09/08)

Adult (12yrs + ) - $10

Child (5-12yrs ) - $5

Child under 5yrs - free

Family - $25

Registration (22/09/08 until half hour before the walk)

Adult (12yrs + ) - $15

Child (5-12yrs ) - $10

Child under 5yrs - free