The students at Gladstone Public School bridged a 10,000 kilometre gap by participating in a fundraising walk in unison with schools in India, on World Water Day, Tuesday, March 22.
The school-wide initiative raised funds that will go towards the construction of a well in a village in India, providing clean drinking water for up to 250 people. At a cost of $750 each, this will be the third well that Gladstone students have constructed in collaboration with SOPAR, a non-profit organization supporting community development in India since 1977.
“We have 100% participation,” said Vice-Principal Joe Harty, who explained that the initiative was part of their character education curriculum providing students with a global perspective and understanding of how some children live in the rest of the world. “The support was overwhelming.”
At 1:00 pm on the day, the students walked 1.4 kilometres, in the community and on the school grounds, symbolic of the walk that women and children in India would have to travel to get clean drinking water each day for their families. The event raised $531.41.
Although the children at Gladstone don’t come from the best demographic, explained, event co-organizer and grade five teacher, Al Bhatia, this and other fundraising efforts at the school give them an awareness beyond their own community.
Other efforts by the students at Gladstone include earthquake and tsunami relief as well as fundraisers for Terry Fox and the rainforests.
