Clean water helps Sarah reconsider marrying too young

In 2010, life took a drastic change for Sarah, her siblings, and her mother, Irene. That’s when her father — a fisherman — passed away. “He was able to provide for the family. We did not miss any meals,” says Irene. “[Now] I face a lot of challenges.”Sarah’s father wished for all his children to be educated. He would’ve been saddened to see Sarah’s struggles as she grew. As is traditional in rural Zambian communities, girls spend hours each day collecting water for the family. Sarah’s water walk was two hours round trip, and she made that journey three times a day. Her last trip usually started around 5:00 p.m., and she would return home when darkness had fallen.“The road was very small,” says Sarah, now 16. Too small for her to ride a bicycle to the water source, which would have cut down on the time she spent and would also have lightened her burden. The weight of the water-filled jerrycans caused her to suffer. “I used to feel sick. My body was ever tired like I was sick.”And dangers lurked in that small road. [A smile fills a young girl's face as she stands next to a house made of mud and bricks.]( Clean water helps Sarah reconsider marrying too young In 2010, life took a drastic change for Sarah, her siblings, and her mother, Irene. That’s when her father — a fisherman — passed away. “He was able to provide for the family. We did not miss any meals,” says Irene. “[Now] I face a lot of challenges.” Sarah’s father wished for all his children to be educated. He would’ve been saddened to see Sarah’s struggles as she grew. As is traditional in rural Zambian communities, girls spend hours each day collecting water for the family. Sarah’s water walk was two hours round trip, and she made that journey three times a day. Her last trip usually started around 5:00 p.m., and she would return home when darkness had fallen. “The road was very small,” says Sarah, now 16. Too small for her to ride a bicycle to the water source, which would have cut down on the time she spent and would also have lightened her burden. The weight of the water-filled jerrycans caused her to suffer. “I used to feel sick. My body was ever tired like I was sick.” [READ MORE]( [A young child stands and holds an orange bucket on his head.]( Pray for clean water for the thirsty Join us in prayer for the 771 million people worldwide who don't have access to clean water. [READ MORE]( [A boy puts his arm around a shorter, older woman as they walk on a dirt path]( The people who help shape us Read life-changing stories of transformation and meet the people who played a pivotal role in their lives. [READ MORE]( [a woman walks in the distance across a dusty, sandy desert/]( Global water crisis in photos and videos Around the world, millions of people are faced with the harsh reality of inadequate access to clean water. [READ MORE]( [A woman in an orange headscarf kisses a newborn baby that she holds in her hands.]( Signs of progress and reasons to hope Discover the reasons for hope in children’s healthcare advancements and learn how World Vision is contributing. [READ MORE]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [World Vision Youtube Channel]( [Instagram]( --------------------------------------------------------------- World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. [Read more about our work.]( World Vision, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063 1.888.511.6514 [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Sign In]( | Campaign = 400067541 | Donor No. = 106150834 Having trouble viewing this email? [View it online](.