As you know there is a huge water crisis affecting Tharparkar. More than 70% of Tharparkar’s population has no access to safe drinking water. Instead, people drink rain water that was collected and stored over time which can become toxic. The lack of clear drinking water is stated to be one of the major causes of disease and health problems in Thar. More than 500 children died as a result of malnutrition last year due to the scarcity of resources and clean drinking water according to the 2011 National Nutritional Survey. Barely 5% of the population has access to clean and disease-free portable water, according to a study by Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) reported by Reuters.
Last year we raised $125,000 and thousands of people were provided clean water. Each water well will cost $300-$500 depending on the location. We hope to continue the efforts of last year and expand into additional areas of Thar. We are working to ensure that no one dies in Thar for lack of water.
