Students hold the phone for clean water
UNICEF volunteers at USU are working to cut the number of the world’s population without access to safe drinking water in half by 2015, and they aim to provide this resource by challenging students to give up something far less vital – their phones.
The UNICEF Tap Project makes it possible for one day’s worth of clean water to be donated to a child in need for every 10 minutes students can go without touching their cell phones.
“I love that this is a donation process that’s designed for college students,” said Madison VonSosen, a freshman volunteer. “We don’t have that much money to give out, but you just sacrifice 10 minutes on your phone, and that’s donating to the foundation.”
By visiting uniceftapproject.org on their smartphones, students can contribute to the cause by hitting “Begin” and letting their phones sit still while a timer logs the minutes.
“It’s so easy,” VonSosen said. “You get on the website with your phone, and it’ll tell you all the directions and cool facts about the amount of water you’ve donated. I’ll be in class and I’ll want to be on my phone playing games and stuff, but instead I’ll get on the website and then listen in class and donate water at the same time.”
Once finished, the option to share the results on Facebook and Twitter appears in order to increase the project’s reach.
“It’s always good to help people and to do your part for the world,” said Alex Tekere, a volunteer. “As a student, it helps remove the distractions from you. The Tap Project helps me look over some of the things I stress over today.”
The innovative donation style will be the focal point of USU’s World Water Week, which seeks to raise awareness of the estimated 768 million people worldwide living without a sustainable source of clean water.
“It’s so simple, and it’s such a small sacrifice for one kid to have a great day,” VonSosen said.
Volunteers like Tekere and VonSosen have organized several events during World Water Week in order to raise student interest in the cause.
The first event, held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the TSC auditorium, is the Logan Out Loud charity night. Student volunteers will then give a formal presentation of the Tap Project at common hour at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Student Learning Center.
Students will also have the opportunity Wednesday to purchase water outside of the TSC during the “Buy Water to Give Water” promotion, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“It’s the best way to give to those who don’t have any when you don’t have anything yourself,” Tekere said. “I’ve learned to appreciate the smaller things we take for granted in life and appreciate the ability for a person to achieve in life if they have the basic necessities provided for them.”
— logantjones@aggiemail.usu.edu