Zakat Foundation of America is making a month out of World Water Day

It’s easy to say every day should be world water day.

The truth is that women and children in countries with underdeveloped infrastructures walk miles every day to retrieve water. They sacrifice hours that could have been spent in school, at work, or elsewhere, all to get clean water they can use for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.

That’s why even though world water day is March 22, Zakat Foundation of America is making a month out of it. The international humanitarian organization based out of Illinois is rallying a nation to fund 100 water sources in one month.

The process is simple

Select a water project (hand pump or water well), dedicate it to a loved one (optional) and donate. Zakat Foundation of America’s team will break ground and let the blessings — and, of course, the water — flow. We’ll send an update upon completion.

We do not stop at installing these water sources. Our water experts:

• Find the best place for your loved one’s well or hand pump

• Supervise its construction

• Install your loved one’s name permanently and prominently at the site to ensure his or her remembrance in the prayers of its users (an added benefit for the departed)

• Provide you with photos of it gushing blessings of life for people and your beloved

• Teach water and sanitation awareness to its users on important topics, like testing for arsenic contamination, a deep-groundwater problem throughout the world

Weekly Challenges:

Get certified through Zakat Foundation of America as a Water Scarcity Ambassador. Help raise awareness by participating in weekly challenges that help conserve water while shining a spotlight on water scarcity issues across the globe. This month features four different challenges, and participation is required in all four to receive the certificate.

Challenge 1: Save Change to Save Lives

Challenge 2: Make a Video

Challenge 3: Change your Water Habits

Challenge 4: Write a Blog Post

Logistics — don’t worry, we take care of the back-end work

A hand pump costs $500, collects less water than a well and takes more physical effort to get water. It lasts 15 years and is constructed 40-60 feet below surface level, where water is extracted from a pool, not the source.

A water well costs $3,000, and more water is gathered per extraction. It takes less physical effort to get water and lasts 30 years before re-drilling is required. It’s constructed 100-150 feet below surface level, where water is extracted from a freshwater source, not a pool.

The lifespans depend on the maintenance, weather conditions, and the material with which the source has been constructed.

Zakat Foundation of America typically performs water well construction in a variety of countries in East and West Africa in areas of greatest need, and hand pumps in Southeast Asia. As part of a collaborative process, the team partners with local organizations who work alongside individuals in their respective communities to successfully complete the construction of each water project. It may take up to one year to complete the construction of a well and up to 8 months to construct a hand pump; however, this is rare, and under extreme conditions such as political turmoil, the time frame may be prolonged. Read more about Zakat Foundation of America’s International Water Month campaign and challenge.

At the same time, we're still focusing on emergency relief and other sustainable programs. March will also be full of nationwide hot food, fresh produce and dairy, and PPE distributions. Find out if there’s an event or distribution near you that you can participate in, or if there’s a virtual seminar you’d like to join.