By Mark Dreger
Despite the snow and cold, men and women came out to participate in Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 annual Walk In Her Shoes event in Mission Creek Park to celebrate International Women害羞草研究所檚 Day on Sunday.
害羞草研究所淲hat we害羞草研究所檙e doing here today is we害羞草研究所檙e walking 10,000 steps and it害羞草研究所檚 to walk in solidarity with women and girls around the world害羞草研究所攎ostly in developing countries害羞草研究所攖hat have to walk 10,000 steps害羞草研究所攐r 6 to 7 kilometres害羞草研究所攁 day just to get the basics, so firewood, water, and food,害羞草研究所� said Wendy Wright, the Volunteer Event Chair for Walk In Her Shoes. 害羞草研究所淲alk In Her Shoes is doing events not just here in Kelowna, but (Sunday) they were also in Vancouver and Calgary, and later on in the week they害羞草研究所檙e in Edmonton.害羞草研究所�
Participants also had the opportunity to wear weighted baskets on their heads to get a taste of what it feels like to carry water during the long walk.
害羞草研究所淥ne of the things that we want to do is promote awareness,害羞草研究所� Wright said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not just about fundraising害羞草研究所擨 mean obviously we want to be raising funds to help these women and girls害羞草研究所攂ut it害羞草研究所檚 not just about that. It害羞草研究所檚 raising awareness of what continues to occur in our global community, and if we can help and raise one woman out of poverty it害羞草研究所檚 said that she takes four other people with her.害羞草研究所�
Renye Lebel and Paul Maarschalk, who both took a trip to a mud hut village in Zimbabwe, got a firsthand look at the troubles families go through carrying water long distances to and from their homes.
害羞草研究所淸Young women] were sitting beside this table, this plastic table with all these huge buckets, like five gallon drum buckets,害羞草研究所� Lebel recollected, 害羞草研究所渁nd I asked the woman, 害羞草研究所榳hat are all those buckets for?害羞草研究所� and she said 害羞草研究所榳ell that害羞草研究所檚 where we get our water. That害羞草研究所檚 what us women do: We put it on our heads and go to the well and bring back the water.害羞草研究所� So I say, 害羞草研究所榶ou got to haul all these heavy, big jugs? How far is it?害羞草研究所� And 6 kilometres they had to walk. And that害羞草研究所檚 just to get your water. They were obviously very clean and conscientious and I just thought, 害羞草研究所榳ow, that害羞草研究所檚 going to take a lot of water.害羞草研究所� So it害羞草研究所檚 just stuck with me.害羞草研究所�
According to the United Nations, Zimbabwe ranks 154th in the world on the Human Development Index with Canada ranked 10th.
害羞草研究所淚 asked her why they didn害羞草研究所檛 have running water,害羞草研究所� Maarschalk said, 害羞草研究所渂ecause there is a pipe that runs not very far from them that they would be able to connect up to, but I think it was going to cost them something like $12,000 to get connected up to the water. That害羞草研究所檚 a lot of money there.害羞草研究所�
Walk In Her Shoes is sponsored by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) that operates in 94 countries on six continents fighting global poverty to improve basic health and education, and increase access to clean water to name a few. Funds raised from Walk In Her Shoes will be directed to support CARE害羞草研究所檚 efforts to improve the nutrition of women and children in Southern Africa.
害羞草研究所淲ouldn害羞草研究所檛 it be a beautiful thing if everyone in this world had access to clean running water that they didn害羞草研究所檛 have to spend half their day getting?害羞草研究所� Lebel said. 害羞草研究所淭o me it害羞草研究所檚 just a basic entitlement that we all need to survive. You害羞草研究所檇 like to see these families be able to live an easier life, right?害羞草研究所�
According to the World Bank, Zimbabwe害羞草研究所檚 GDP per capita was $590US in 2008, but rose to $908US in 2016.
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