Walk 4 Water returns to help provide clean drinking source for Ugandans

Participants at last year’s Walk 4 Water move from place to place to raise money for the construction of clean-water wells in Uganda. The annual event is put on by Northgate Christian Fellowship. (Photo courtesy of Ken Jensen)

Walk 4 Water, put on annually in Benicia by Northgate Christian Fellowship, will return Saturday, giving participants an opportunity to walk 5 kilometers from the 9th Street Park to the start of the Benicia State Recreation Area. As with past treks, walkers are encouraged to reflect on those in developing countries who have to walk that same distance just to get a drink of water, and know that the money they spent to register is going toward a good cause.

Northgate has partnered with Water 4 Kids International for Walk 4 Water, in which the money raised will go toward drilling deep clean-water wells so that villagers do not have to rely on poor-quality water from open ponds or swamps, which contribute to poverty, poor education and economic hardships in developing countries.

Northgate Senior Pastor Ken Jensen said the church began doing the walks five years ago following a short-term mission trip to Uganda, where they viewed the difficulties residents were going through due to poor water quality.

“On average, it’s the children who go and fetch water more often than not,” he said. “The average distance a child has to travel to a bad source of water is about 5 kilometers, so that’s why we made it a 5K walk. When they do get that water, it’s usually from an unsafe source.”

Additionally, Jensen said that animals often drink from and defecate in these water sources, contributing to their overall uncleanliness. The paths are also dangerous for young girls, who do not have an alternate mode of transportation and often become vulnerable to attackers and sexual predators during these trips. When they finally do bring the water home, it can lead to dysentery which is frequently ranked among the leading causes of death in East Africa by the World Health Organization.

In the past five years, Northgate has raised enough money to help install more than 20 wells throughout Uganda. In the first year, the goal was to drill two wells, with the number increasing each year. This year, Northgate is aiming to raise $60,000 to install six deep clean-water wells in various villages throughout Uganda.

“One well can change the lives of thousands of people because it affects a whole village and the surrounding area,” Jensen said.

In addition to raising money, Jensen and Northgate staff would like to raise awareness of the troubles other countries face when it comes to providing water for their homes.

“I don’t think most people in the United States realize there are parts of this world where you don’t just go turn on a tap and water comes out,” he said. “You don’t have water to take a shower or wash your car. It’s really to raise awareness as much as raising the funds.”

Walk 4 Water will take place Saturday, Oct. 1 at 9th Street Park, located at the corner of West I and West 9th streets. Check-in will begin at 8 a.m., and the walk will begin at 9 a.m. The cost is $35 for individuals and $50 for families, which would cover the cost of an optional T-shirt. Registration can be done through Northgate’s website at thisis.church by clicking on Walk 4 Water under the events tab. Those who are unable to participate can still donate to the cause by visiting the MinistrySync.com page under the Walk 4 Water tab. For more information, visit thisischurch.com.