Water is Life

“Water is Life”.  This is a statement that I heard over and over and over again yesterday.  Why yesterday?  Well, March 22^nd happens to be World Water Day.  An event celebrated throughout the globe to pay homage to and raise awareness about human’s most valuable resource. 

This was my second year of really celebrating the day.  Last year I celebrated world water day with CAWST and a whole crew of youth who were proudly displaying their inspiring water action projects.  As much as I would have LOVED to be there this year to see what the local youth have done and take part in the festivities, I am so happy that I was here in Zambia. 

It was just by chance that I ended up in Lusaka for this exciting day.  My original plan was to be back in Ndola to be at the Seeds of Hope (the organization I am working alongside with here) main office for World Water Day. They had planned a big day and invited the mayor, councilors and school children.  I have heard that the day went brilliantly and that incredibly, the two chefs with one helper managed to feed those 150 people! But alas, my reason for being in Lusaka was delayed an extra day and I am quite pleased that it was. It meant I would still be in Lusaka on March 22^nd.  World Water Day Lusaka, here I come!  

Getting into the spirit!  

Booth Displays

Amazing Dancers! I would have put a video up but my internet is too slow. 

The celebration started off with a few hundred celebrators holding banners marching for 2 km behind a band and dance team of little girls dressed in white.  At the finish line the marchers were greeted by traditional tribal dancing from the Eastern province - an incredible display of hip shaking, beautiful singing and cowhide costumes.  There was a promenade of booths from over a dozen government agencies and organizations involved in the water sector of Zambia .  Finally, there was a large tent set up where speeches were given by ministers and UN representatives.  I have to be honest, I didn’t really listen to the speeches, the glorious feast of information, hands on displays, song and dance sufficiently distracted me. I may not have listened to what was being said, but I did hear these words over the speakers numerous times “Water is Life”. A phrase I have heard many times and have a deep appreciation for, but hearing it in my current context allowed me to appreciate it even more.

 I’d like you to stop reading right now, take 45 seconds out of your time and think about what that phrase means “Water is Life”. 

No really. STOP.  Take a few seconds.

This is what it means to me.  I saw a man, probably homeless in the downtown area of Ndola,  bending down and scooping water with his hand out of a roadside puddle and hastily gulping it down.  Here is a short list of what is in that water, and these are only the things I could physically see: garbage, dirt, oil, diesel.  Why is the man scooping obviously contaminated water? I would call this drinking to sustain life.  How life sustaining is that water? Momentarily, it quenches - tomorrow he is sick, potentially life threatening. Safe water is precious and essential for the health and longevity of all people no matter who you are or where you’re from or the different challenges we all face.

So if you didn’t do anything to mark the very special occasion of world water day, I challenge you to do something to celebrate it today, tomorrow or even next week to show what water means to you (if only all challenges in life were to celebrate something).  Be creative!!! Even if it’s as small as taking an extra few seconds to really appreciate your next long gulp of cool, clear and safe water that is probably coming right out of your tap.  I’d love to hear what you did or plan to do, and I am sure everyone else would too, so please feel free to leave a comment at the end of my blog!

With lots of love from the rainy skies of Zambia,

Taryn