NASHUA, NH – Nashua nonprofit, The Thank You Project, held its 9th annual Water Walk Saturday. More than 100 walkers marched over two miles from Greeley Park to the bank of the Nashua River downtown and back to raise funds for the group. This year they surpassed last year’s total of $7,000 raising more than $10,000.
The Water Walk aims to illustrate issues with fresh water for much of the world and to raise funds to build and maintain wells in rural Nigeria and provide scholarships.
The scope of the problem with adequate, clean water is enormous. Every day, primarily women and girls spend 200 million hours gathering water. The average round trip is 3.7 miles and they typically carry 40 pounds of water per trip; 3-in-10 schools globally have no water service and 1.69 billion people live without adequate sanitation
Mayor Jim Donchess kicked off the event at the Greeley Park bandshell and introduced the Water Walk organizer and the Thank You Project Founder, Charles Okorie.
“Charles Okorie over these nine years has developed a really fantastic project that helps people that really need it,” said Donchess. “The idea that in Nigeria they have young children who have to walk miles every day as we are going to emulate today to get water, often even dirty water because that is the best they can get. The idea of building wells for them so that they can get clean water right in their village is of course a major change in their lives and their quality of life.”
Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte also addressed the crowed and walked the route with the group.
“You think about the difference one person can make. Charles and his efforts and the efforts of his family are inspirational. If you think about it, we take it for granted when we turn on that tap The access that we have to all the things that we just don’t even think about,” aid Ayotte. “And in Nigeria and other places in the world, they have to work so hard just to get a drink of water or to get some water to wash to take care of themselves. What you are doing here today with the Thank You Project, what Charles has done to make lives better for people in Nigeria, for his own people and for others it truly just inspires all of us.”
Groups who walked the route were representing Nashua North Football, Rivier University, and The First Church of Nashua, among others. Rivier University senior from Nashua Alison Marcel gave a simple reason for participating in the Water Walk with more than 20 Rivier Students.
“ Riv Serves! I choose to be here, said Marcel. I expect the day to be rewarding even though we are doing only part of the distance they have to do everyday. We will at least get to experience a little bit of walking to pick up water,” Marcel said.
Organizer Charles Okorie modestly downplayed his role. For him, it is an expression of his gratitude for the blessings in his life. He expressed his vision for the potential of the project and he requested some further help from the mostly young walkers.
“Make this go viral! Let us reach one million people and get them each to donate one dollar. We then can have a million dollars to build wells and change lives.”
