By Mark Dreger
Despite the snow and cold, men and women came out to participate in Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 annual Walk In Her Shoes event in Mission Creek Park to celebrate International Women香蕉视频直播檚 Day on Sunday.
香蕉视频直播淲hat we香蕉视频直播檙e doing here today is we香蕉视频直播檙e walking 10,000 steps and it香蕉视频直播檚 to walk in solidarity with women and girls around the world香蕉视频直播攎ostly in developing countries香蕉视频直播攖hat have to walk 10,000 steps香蕉视频直播攐r 6 to 7 kilometres香蕉视频直播攁 day just to get the basics, so firewood, water, and food,香蕉视频直播� said Wendy Wright, the Volunteer Event Chair for Walk In Her Shoes. 香蕉视频直播淲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香蕉视频直播檙e in Edmonton.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淥ne of the things that we want to do is promote awareness,香蕉视频直播� Wright said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not just about fundraising香蕉视频直播擨 mean obviously we want to be raising funds to help these women and girls香蕉视频直播攂ut it香蕉视频直播檚 not just about that. It香蕉视频直播檚 raising awareness of what continues to occur in our global community, and if we can help and raise one woman out of poverty it香蕉视频直播檚 said that she takes four other people with her.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淸Young women] were sitting beside this table, this plastic table with all these huge buckets, like five gallon drum buckets,香蕉视频直播� Lebel recollected, 香蕉视频直播渁nd I asked the woman, 香蕉视频直播榳hat are all those buckets for?香蕉视频直播� and she said 香蕉视频直播榳ell that香蕉视频直播檚 where we get our water. That香蕉视频直播檚 what us women do: We put it on our heads and go to the well and bring back the water.香蕉视频直播� So I say, 香蕉视频直播榶ou got to haul all these heavy, big jugs? How far is it?香蕉视频直播� And 6 kilometres they had to walk. And that香蕉视频直播檚 just to get your water. They were obviously very clean and conscientious and I just thought, 香蕉视频直播榳ow, that香蕉视频直播檚 going to take a lot of water.香蕉视频直播� So it香蕉视频直播檚 just stuck with me.香蕉视频直播�
According to the United Nations, Zimbabwe ranks 154th in the world on the Human Development Index with Canada ranked 10th.
香蕉视频直播淚 asked her why they didn香蕉视频直播檛 have running water,香蕉视频直播� Maarschalk said, 香蕉视频直播渂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香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of money there.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 efforts to improve the nutrition of women and children in Southern Africa.
香蕉视频直播淲ouldn香蕉视频直播檛 it be a beautiful thing if everyone in this world had access to clean running water that they didn香蕉视频直播檛 have to spend half their day getting?香蕉视频直播� Lebel said. 香蕉视频直播淭o me it香蕉视频直播檚 just a basic entitlement that we all need to survive. You香蕉视频直播檇 like to see these families be able to live an easier life, right?香蕉视频直播�
According to the World Bank, Zimbabwe香蕉视频直播檚 GDP per capita was $590US in 2008, but rose to $908US in 2016.
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