Charity: water at Mizzou aims to supply schools with clean water

The new non-profit launched the Water for Schools campaign Monday night.

By Jaclyn Dipasquale

Published April 13, 2010

Almost a billion people on Earth do not have access to clean drinking water, according to the charity: water Web site.

Charity: water at Mizzou, a non-profit student organization, is fighting to lower that statistic by participating in the Water for Schools campaign. The campaign is a student-led movement that raises awareness and funds for clean water projects at schools in developing nations.

"Currently, 50 percent of schools around the world lack access to clean water facilities," said Laura Clarke, founder and co-president of charity: water at Mizzou. "(The Water for Schools) campaign aims to involve schools and colleges around the U.S. to fundraise for charity: water's projects for schools throughout the developing world."

MU will join ranks with Cornell University, Penn State University and the University of Maryland, which have all led campaigns.

"When charity: water at Mizzou began, we decided that we wanted to combine our launch as an organization on campus with the launch of our Water for Schools campaign," Clarke said. "Clean water is something that we certainly take for granted, but it is not a privilege, it is a right. Our campaign at Mizzou aims to encourage students to recognize this fact."

The group held a launch event Monday at The Underground Cafe to gain exposure while raising money and awareness for its cause.

"We're hoping that the benefit concert will serve to introduce our cause and get people excited about the campaign," Clarke said.

At the event, each person was encouraged to donate at least $5, with 100 percent of the donations to be put toward the funding of a clean water project.

Junior Yuki Nagasawa attended the event to show support for charity: water's cause and for her friend, Clarke.

"(I thought) the launch was very nice," Nagasawa said. "I thought there would be more people, but it was still a very good event."

Charity: water at Mizzou aims to raise at least $1,000 by the end of the semester.

"Twenty dollars can provide a person with clean water access for 20 years, so $1,000 would make a huge amount of difference to a lot of people," Clarke said.

According to charity: water's national Web site, many children spend all day helping their parents fetch water instead of going to school. In addition, the lack of latrines and water to wash with causes girls to drop out of school when they begin puberty.

Aside from fundraising, charity: water at Mizzou has many other goals for this semester.

"We're hoping to achieve ORG status on campus and solidify an executive committee to help plan events and secure sponsors for the 2010-2011 school year," co-founder Kiki Schmitz said.

Schmitz said charity: water at Mizzou is looking for people who have ideas for future events and who can commit to helping see them through.

The organization is also in the process of planning a follow-up event for the launch.

"We at Mizzou have the capacity to literally change lives," Clarke said. "And through the Water for Schools campaign, I hope that students will gain the enthusiasm to get involved and make a difference."