Approximately 785 million people worldwide 1 in 9 lack access to clean water. Each year, the global water crisis causes nearly 1 million deaths and a loss of $260 million in economic opportunities (Water.org/our-impact/water-crisis). 

Julia Haley, Roswell High School junior and Girl Scout ambassador, was particularly interested in how the global water crisis affects women and girls. In many countries, women and girls spend millions of hours gathering water for their families, which limits their ability to obtain an education or work. In addition, the water they gather is often dirty and must be filtered before it can be used for drinking or cooking. 

Haleys passion for this issue led her to pursue her Girl Scout Gold Award by educating her local community on the global water crisis and informing them of ways they can help. She will be holding several events in Roswell this spring that will incorporate family-friendly activities, informative videos, and a one-mile water walk that will give participants a hands-on understanding of some effects of the global water crisis. Events are free and open to the public. 

Haley is just one of the girls in Troop 3000 pursuing a Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn. Girl Scout seniors and ambassadors who earn a Gold Award honor the Girl Scout commitment to make the world a better place by completing a sustainable project that will make a lasting difference.

Girls identify an issue, plan, build a team, present their project for approval to Council, and then take action. Additional problems the girls in the troop hope to address include water safety at swimming pools, communicating the importance of handwashing to young children, and improving experiences for girls in hospitals. 

To learn more about the global water crisis and ways you can help, visit Water Is Life (WaterIsLife.com) to donate straw filters, bucket filter systems, or other sanitation materials to communities worldwide who lack access to clean water. 

For more information about Haleys Gold Award project, visit WaterGoldAward.Weebly.com.