As you probably know, water is our life around here and we’ve recently partnered with Water Mission, a Charleston-based non-profit that builds sustainable clean water solutions in developing countries and disaster areas. This is hard to believe, but 842,000 people die every year due to inadequate drinking water & sanitation. That’s 2,300 a day......staggering.

In honor of Giving Tuesday, we will be donating $10 from every order placed today to support their mission in providing safe, clean and drinkable water to communities across the country. 

So, we invite you today to join us in supporting and learning more about their mission. Read on to learn 5 things you should know about Water Mission.  

 

1. The Reality of the Global Water Crisis

  • 1 child dies from water related disease every 21 seconds.
  • More than 3.4 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes. Nearly all of these are preventable deaths and 99% occur in the developing world. 
  • Women spend 200 million hours a day collecting water.
  • 443 million school days are lost each year to water-related illness.
  • The need to fetch water and use the restroom where there are not adequate facilities exposes women and children to danger from predators and wild animals. It's a matter of safety and dignity. 
  • 2.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water.

2. Three Things Most of the World Can't Do:

  • Take a hot shower.
  • Get safe water from the tap.
  • Flush away harmful waste.

3. Water Mission's Living Water Treatment System

  • Water Mission's Living Water Treatment System weighs 1,600 pounds and purifies 10 gallons of water per minute, or 10,000 gallons per day. 
  • Water Mission's engineers' design works like a mini "municipal water treatment plant." It provides enough water for 5,000 people per day -- the equivalent of 22,000 one liter water bottles per day. 
  • To date, Water Mission has completed more than 2,400 safe water and sanitation projects in 55 countries, serving more than 3.6 million people around the world.
  • In the event of an emergency, Water Mission's solutions can be operational within 48 hours after a disaster -- providing safe drinking water to those affected. 

4. Water Mission's Healthy Latrine

Water Mission has worked with communities to build over 17,000 healthy latrines in developing countries. This is a low-cost solution to sanitation access that consists of a vented deep-pit latrine and a concrete privacy structure. Each structure uses local materials and the sweat equity of the beneficiaries. This modern toilet uses minimal water and is estimated to last 15 years, after which plumbing can be re-routed. 

 

5. How Water Mission Achieves Success:

They create a flexible, long-term approach and partnership with the community through local partnerships and collaboration. Each project creates economic sustainability, has a spiritual integration component to it, and is fully transparent to all of those involved. 

 

 

On behalf of all of us, we are truly grateful for your support this year and we want to extend a special thank you for being a part of the Free Fly Family. Click here to learn more about Water Mission and the many ways they’re working to end the Global Water Crisis.