You probably would never drink dirty or contaminated water. Yet 990 million people around the world have no other choice. Lack of clean drinking water is the second-largest killer of children under age five; acces to dirty or contaminated water kills 4,200 children a day in developing countries. UNICEF believes that number should be zero, which is why it has launched the Tap Project.
During World Water Week (March 22-28), thousands of restaurants nationwide will be asking guests to contribute $1 or more for a glass of tap water. It may not seem like much to the diners, but that $1 can supply a child with safe drinking water for 40 days or 40 children with water for one day.
Several Atlanta establishments, including Gordon Biersch, 4th & Swift, Repast, The Real Chow Baby and all Rosa Mexicano locations, have joined the Tap Project — pledging to collect a minimum of $50 to $500 to contribute to the fund. Last year, more than 2,300 restaurants across the country, including 70 in Atlanta, helped to raise more than $855,000. Their efforts provided clean water and sanitation to children in Iraq, Côte d’Ivoire, Nicaragua and Belize.
In addition to the Tap Project, UNICEF is working in more than 90 countries around the world to improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities in schools, hospitals, health centers and more. By 2015, they plan to reduce the number of people without sustainable access to safe water and basic sanitation by half. Ultimately, they intend to get the total number of those affected down to zero.
For more information or to find a list of participating restaurants, visit tapproject.org or its Facebook group.
