How Far Can You Walk: 2nd Annual 5K Walkathon

Water is a human right, but it’s one we might take for granted here in the U.S. For most of us, accessing safe drinking water is as simple as walking a few steps to the nearest faucet.

But many in developing countries must walk several miles each day just to reach their nearest source of water. And when they arrive, there is no guarantee the water will be safe to drink. This is a humanitarian crisis at the root of much poverty, misery, illness and death across the world.

With your help, Embrace Relief is working to change that. Thanks to support from our donors, we’ve built more than 760 water wells in Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria, giving the gift of clean water to more than 760,000 people! Every well we build represents the hope of a better future for thousands of people, and one more step towards ending the world’s clean water crisis.

On Sunday, May 21, 2023, you can take that step with Embrace Relief too! Join us for our second annual H₂Ow Far Can You Walk: 5K Walkathon at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, and help us raise awareness and money for this important cause!

Walking for water is a daily reality for so many people in countries like Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria, where the majority of Embrace Relief’s wells have been built. They wake up every single day knowing that their only access to water relies on someone in their household – typically women or children – walking up to six kilometers on average, carrying water jugs (that can weigh up to 70 pounds when filled) for hours at a time in the oppressive heat of central Africa.

Even when this backbreaking task is completed, the water they’ve carried back is nowhere near the quality of what we drink here in the U.S. It’s often sourced from open, unprotected rivers, ponds, or holes in the ground, and often carries dangerous bacteria and parasites, forcing millions of people every day to choose between going thirsty and risking contracting a deadly waterborne disease like cholera, dysentery or typhoid. These diseases cause millions of deaths every year worldwide, and are responsible for the loss of countless hours of productivity (for adults) and learning (for children).

It doesn’t have to be this way. Africa possesses vast amounts of underground fresh water. Water wells, like the ones Embrace Relief builds, are simple to operate, effective and sustainable, and possess amazing potential to lift people out of poverty and encourage human development. In the 760+ communities where Embrace Relief has built or reconstructed our wells, we see the same effects everywhere we go, including:

• Decreased rates of disease and serious illness;
• Increased agricultural and economic production;
• More children successfully completing their education; and
• More girls and women empowered to reach their potential.

At Embrace Relief’s 2nd Annual 5K Walkathon, we will walk for water so that eventually, our friends in Africa won’t have to.

The walkathon will take place at beautiful Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ, overlooking the Hudson River and the New York City skyline. Registration begins at 8:30 AM on Sunday, May 21, with the event beginning at 9:30 AM. In addition to the walk itself, participants will be invited to take part in interactive educational experiences, in order to better understand what life is like for the people we support in Africa. Refreshments will also be served.

Registration is currently underway! We offer two different tiers to show your support for the cause:

Tier 1 – Pillars of Hope ($15): Registration includes a 5K Walkathon T-shirt

Tier 2 – Builders of the Future ($30): Registration includes a 5K Walkathon T-shirt, bracelet, lanyard and medal, sticky wallet, backpack, and attendance certificate

* $5 of every ticket sale will go toward the ongoing Turkey and Syria earthquake relief efforts *

In addition to the gifts above, if you pre-register for the 5K by April 21, you will receive a special Embrace Relief water bottle! Your registration fee will provide at least 14,000 gallons of drinkable water for our friends in Africa.

Finally, you can also donate directly to support well reconstruction efforts or create your own Group FUNdraising project with your family, friends, and colleagues:

• Donation of $250 or more: Your preferred name will be displayed on our website under our list of donors.
• Donation of $500 or more: Your preferred name can be on a splash graphic on our website under our list of donors.
• Donation of $1300 or more: Your preferred name can be displayed on signage next to the water well whose reconstruction you helped fund.

Host or Publisher Embrace Relief