New Well Flows Thanks to 6th Grade Fundraising Efforts

Posted By: Andrew Stossmeister July 20, 2021

A well has been drilled in South Sudan thanks to a sponsorship by Salida Middle School 6th graders.

Students raised $9,227 in donations for Water for South Sudan (WFSS) which provides access to clean water and hygiene education in rural villages and schools in South Sudan.

Following a reading of A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park in Mr. Lamond’s 6th grade language arts class students gravitated to the idea of water conservation and awareness.

As a result of discussions from the book and other outside sources students were inspired to raise funds to support small communities in need of access to clean water.

To raise funds, they conducted a penny war between cohorts, participated in a water challenge, and gained sponsorships for a water walk, carrying water in 5-gallon jerry cans from the Arkansas River to the top of Tenderfoot Mountain and back to return water to the river.

The new well, drilled at the Alel-chock Primary Health Care Unit in Western Bahr el Ghazal State in South Sudan, is now providing clean water and sustainability for the community it serves. Although parts of South Sudan continue to experience unrest, WFSS has been able to continue drilling wells safely through their grassroots efforts.

Those interested can type the well’s GPS coordinates, 7.777847 27.978129, into their browser to see the location and the area that will benefit from the new water source.

This well was made possible by the dedication of SMS 6th graders and staff, the Salida School community, and friends and family of the 6th grade class. WFSS sends their gratitude and thanks to the Salida community for their support and generosity, which is now providing clean water to the people at the Alel-chock Primary Health Care Unit in South Sudan.

For additional information please contact Kim LeTourneau at 719-530-5225 or kletourneau@salidaschools.org.

Andrew Stossmeister
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