When I was assigned to interview the group, Got a Penny for Clean Water?, a finalist for the Environmentalism – Group category of the ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards, I didn’t know what to expect. It turned out that, coincidentally, the group that I was to interview were my classmates, which made me feel warm and fuzzy to know that students at my school are actively providing and caring for the environment. It made me feel like I was part of a better community than I thought I was.
The finalist I interviewed was Arianna, who is currently in Grade 8 at Westmount Charter School. She is a determined and hard worker who puts 100% into everything she does and is always driven to help others. She worked with two peers, Andrew and Sara, and her sister (Natasha) to create a clean and safe well  for the people in Kenya who didn’t have the daily luxuries of clean water at their disposal. Arianna felt that she had to contribute after seeing the dire situation in Kenya in person and up close. Eventually, they achieved their goal, and provided a safe and clean water resource for local Kenyans to access.
What was your project about?
For my project, I worked with three other peers to raise money for a village in Kenya called Ngosuani. We were using the Adopt a Village Program of Free the Children to provide the community with clean water, medical care, agriculture and food Support, education and alternative income and livelihood. We heard about the program at We Day and we decided to help. Our original goal was $100, but it quickly became $25,000 because we realized that $100 wouldn’t suffice for this project.
What was your driving purpose for this cause? What inspired you to raise money?
When I saw a picture of their water source, I was stunned. Their water was brown and completely unsanitized. The people in Kenya had to walk hours everyday to collect this water that wasn’t even clean. This inspired my group to take action and do something that might improve their living conditions.
Do you plan on continuing this project?
We have already reached our goal and have finished the project, essentially. Our group has been working separately and we’re working on different projects such as aboriginal fundraisers and donating books. Since we already accomplished our goal, we are working on separate projects. One project I have recently gotten myself into is helping at the Calgary Zoo. Helping them recover from the flood and other animal care duties I might have.
What did the project do for you?
The project helped me understand what other parts of the world are experiencing. It helped me realize that I matter as well; that I can make a difference if I try.
Arianna and her group had an amazing and fun time fundraising for this cause, and it helped raise awareness and contribute to Kenya’s worsening water conditions. Way to go!
^ This is a picture of the worsening water conditions in Kenya. The child is drawing water out of a sewage system^
What does water mean to us today and people around the world? To us, it is just another resource we take for granted, but for people suffering around the world from water shortage like families in Kenya, water is life. This environmentalist group brought this to light, and in the process I also bumped into a few other organizations that work toward the same effort. One that I particularly thought was worth noting was ‘The Water Project”. This non-profit organization also contributes to Kenya’s water quality, but on a larger scale than enviro-groups. If you are interested in looking further into this cause check out their website at:Â http://thewaterproject.org/why-water
