Sponsored water carry by St Joseph's school

Sponsored Water Carry - 15th July 2005

On a bright, sunny Friday afternoon at 1.30, over 250 children from St. Joseph's school along with their teachers, parents, grandparents and even a police escort, left the school clutching empty plastic bottles to walk the one and a half kilometres to Vassels park. The year one children went to a local park as they were too small to walk the whole way in the summer weather.

Having collected sponsors, the children were there to raise money and awareness of the problems faced by people in Addis Alem and many parts of rural Ethiopia. Fetching water is an everyday job for many in Ethiopia, usually carried out by women and children and often having to walk several kilometres with their heavy containers.

Walking through Fishponds caused quite a stir with people asking who we were and what we were doing...the For-ethiopia banner led the parade with the children wearing 'Make Poverty History' sashes and waistbands.

At the park year six children donned their wellington boots and got in the river to help fill everybodies containers. one litre for the smaller children and two litre for the older ones.

After a short time relaxing in the park, they then headed back to school carrying their full water containers.

Meanwhile the younger children were playing in the local park, making pretend 'African' fires and carrying water around that their teacher had had to bring from school.

For-ethiopia would like to thank the teachers, children and their families for all their efforts to make the day a great success. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves and the policemen said that they had also had a nice afternoon.

Unfortunately we did not get anyone from the local media, but a photographer from The Times Educational Supplement did attend and took lots of picture which should hopefully be published soon.

A big thank you also goes to the parents who organised a 'drinks-station' on Fishponds road to replenish the very thirsty children. Morrisons supermarket were unable to help us as 'we were not a local charity', so thank you very much for helping out.