COLORADO SPRINGS — A group of Colorado Springs students are helping bring clean water to an African village. The project started after students from the Colorado Springs School got a lesson from the non-profit "Charity: Water."
They had the students do a water walk, where they tried to carry jugs of water across the school grounds as a representation of what people in the village of Malawi must do.
Students learned villagers may walk up to eight hours to bring water that generally isn't clean back to the village.
Students we met Tuesday told us it was very hard carrying the water even a short distance, sparking their desire to help.
"Instantly, they were hooked on the project, because they could see themselves in the shoes of these kids, because they were the same age," said Erin Cerezo, Director of the lower and middle Colorado Springs Schools.
"In the end, they have the water they need, they have the hygiene they need, and other communities around it might be able to also get that water," said Maddy Palmer, a sixth grader.
The well project is underway and will take about twelve months to finish. The project is funded by a donation from parents of one of the students. It is also part of a joint learning initiative between the fifth and sixth grades.
Students will receive updates on the progress of the well from Charity: Water throughout the process.
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