Miss Preteen Flickertail State and Water Works

 

Imagine a day without clean, safe water.

For more than 6.3 million people in Zambia alone, that is every day! And, as hard as it is to imagine, more than 780 million people in the world do not have access to safe, clean water!

Water IS life. “Water can’t fix everything, but without it, you can’t fix anything!” (Chris Pope, World Vision)

 It all started when my dad took a trip to Zambia – a poverty-stricken village in south-central Africa - with Hope Lutheran Church (in conjunction with Wellspring for the World & World Vision). My dad told me about kids my age who were injured or died trying to access clean water. I just didn’t think it was fair. Every kid should have water.

 

Wanting to help, I asked my mom if I could sell cookies at my grandma’s garage sale, with proceeds benefitting Wellspring for the World. My goal was to raise 50.00. (50.00 is water for one person, for a lifetime.) However, I didn’t raise 50.00. I raised a whole lot more!

This lit a spark in me. Determined to do more, I developed an idea to make chitenge bags and sell them for 50.00 each. In partnership with the children’s ministry program at Hope Lutheran Church, I designed bags from chitenge – African wax fabric that is commonly used to make dresses, bags, and infant carriers – and volunteers cut and sewed them. Alongside this massive chitenge bag project, I designed and sewed my very own bag to auction off at a Wellspring for the World charity event, bringing in an astounding $6,250.

 I was now on fire for this mission. When approached about writing a book about my efforts, I asked “Can I draw the pictures for it? If yes, then you bet!” I set to work in December of 2018 (at 9 years of age) and just six months later I published my first book entitled Water Works - written and illustrated by… ME!

 

Water Works is an autobiographical children’s book, depicting how extremely difficult it is to access clean water in Africa (and ways readers can help). Every book sold is matched by Wellspring for the World and World Vision (two prominent humanitarian organizations, focused on bringing clean water to all people), bringing total sales for each book to 50.00. Water for one person for a LIFETIME.

 

I have currently raised more than $135,000, which equates to more than 55 new clean water wells and more than 17,000 lives saved.

 “Buy a book, save a life – it’s an offer you can’t refuse.”

~ Sawyer Anderson, Miss Pre Teen Flickertail State International 2021