Heidi Rickels is co-founder, president and creative marketing director of Freshwater Project International, a Golden-based nonprofit devoted to not only installing clean water pumps, latrines and sanitation stations in Malawi, but teaching people how to fix the pumps and latrines, source parts locally and support Malawi’s rural economy through self-reliability.
That’s the day and the life of a Malawian student.
The lack of accessible water and clean latrines at schools also prompts adolescents and teens, especially girls, to drop out, Rickels said.
Freshwater works with local organizations, including Real World Solutions, Calvary Church Golden and the Interact Club at Golden High School, to raise money for its work in the small, landlocked East African nation.
Rickels recently met with members of the Interact Club, a school service group, in hopes of recruiting student volunteers for Freshwater’s upcoming fundraiser, Walk for Freshwater.
Participants can experience what a Malawian might go through to get water for drinking, cooking and cleaning by carrying a gallon jug for seven laps of the track — more than 1.5 miles — the average distance a Malawian walks to get water each day.
Rickels and others also will hand out “challenge cards” to walkers to give them an idea of obstacles Malawians face in accessing water.
Each school received a hand pump for drinking water, locking latrines for boys and girls, several hygienic hand-washing stations, known as tippy taps, and powdered water purifiers that students can use at home.