DUBAI � A three-kilometre walk supporting children with limited access to clean drinking water in schools around the world will take place in the UAE, an official said.

The ‘Water Bucket Walk’ charity event will be held on November 20 at Jumeirah Beach Road marking the 20^th anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day.

Tariq Al Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares said, “Millions of children around the world are deprived of primary education and one of the main underlying issues is their limited access to clean drinking water. On an average, children in developing countries  walk six kilometres every day to collect water for their families and often the water is dirty and highly contaminated, which has serious implications on their health preventing them from attending school.” These children leave their houses early in the morning and walk long distances to access the nearest water source, and only after waiting for many hours to collect water, they begin their long and exhausting walk back home carrying heavy loads.

Al Gurg said UAE residents can register for the ‘Water Bucket Walk’ through the Dubai Cares website www.dubaicares.ae. Organisations can also take part as a group by organising registration drives within their premises to increase participation.

The registration fee for the ‘Water Bucket Walk’ is Dh30 with all proceeds going towards helping children. Thirty dirhams can provide one child with access to clean drinking water in school for one year.  Al Gurg said, the purpose behind this event is to provide the UAE community with an opportunity to briefly experience a fraction of the difficulties that children in developing countries face every day in accessing and collecting water.


ibrahim@khaleejtimes.ae