Written by Mary Kornegay, Relate Contributing Writer
People all across the world are taking notice of the global water crisis, thanks to some of Hollywood’s famous faces. Actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, rapper Lupe Fiasco, and many others have come together to hike Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money and awareness for Summit on the Summit, the name of the mission that will take the participants up the 19,340 foot mountain in Tanzania, Africa. The climb is raising money for the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and PlayPumps International.
(Photo by summitonthesummit.com)
Out of almost 7 billion people on the earth, 1 billion people do not have access to clean water. It is one of the most important causes of this decade, and due to its ready availability in the United States, it is taken for granted. According to the Summit on the Summit website, every 15 seconds a child dies from a preventable water-related disease.
Kenna, the founder of Summit on the Summit, is a huge advocate of the water crisis issue.
“Why climb a mountain? There are many reasons, but the most important is we are doing this extreme thing to quality the extreme nature of the issue. We are willing to go to one of the highest points in the world to get your attention on the biggest issue we have faced,” Kenna, an Ethiopian-American musician said.
The group stopped in Arusha, Tanzania, a small town near the base of the mountain, before they began the assent to the top. “Meeting the people and community in Tanzania … has been an invaluable and eye-opening experience for me,” said Jessica Biel about Arusha and her mission. “My hope is that others will be inspired to find ways that they can help; starting simply in their homes and continuing to other parts of the world. We are all in this together.”
Other hikers include Alexandra Cousteau, the granddaughter of the famous ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Elizabeth Gore, a member of the United Nations Foundation and Kick Kennedy, an prominent environmentalist and granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy. All are dedicated to raising money for clean water programs. “The climb is really tough, but I’m proud to say no one has turned back,” said Cousteau.
Although the water crisis is a huge issue, there is something you can do. Check out the Summit on the Summit website. There you can donate money- one cent equals one liter of clean, safe drinking water. As of Monday, January 11th, almost 5,105,500 liters have been donated. Also on the website are tips on how to conserve water and ideas of how to spread awareness. The participants of Summit on the Summit were expected to reach the top of Mount Kilimanjaro January 12th, but the mission won’t stop there. Check out the website and the documentary on the climb on MTV March 14th.
Tags: celebrity volunteering, Children's Safe Drinking Water Program, clean water programs in Africa, Emile Hirsch, hiking mt. kilimanjaro, Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco, Summit on the Summit
