Author: Lauren Siverly
Occidental’s chapter of The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will partner with local restaurants for the Tap Project, an international UNICEF initiative to raise money for water-related issues around the globe. According to UNICEF, 4,100 children die each day from preventable water-related diseases. The project will take place during World Water Week, from March 20-26.
“The UNICEF at Occidental College Campus Initiative will be working with restaurants in the Eagle Rock and Pasadena areas to raise money for the Tap Project,” UNICEF club member Ellie Quinlan (first-year) said. “During Water Week, these restaurants will agree to charge one dollar or more for tap water.”
Each year, the initiative chooses different countries to support. The money raised this year will go to villages in the Central African Republic, Vietnam and Togo.
Quinlan explained that the money goes to various methods of water sanitation.
“Depending on the area, UNICEF installs water pumps, brings gallons of water to places that need emergency help or, in locations with the correct climates, installs devices that harvest rain water,” she said.
The Occidental chapter of UNICEF plans to raise awareness of this issue on campus and in the general community.
“We really want to get the community thinking and talking about water access issues … Nearly 900 million people, half of whom are children, do not have access to safe drinking water … Oxy students can make a difference by participating in the Tap Project,” Quinlan said.
In addition to supporting a good cause, the Eagle Rock and Pasadena businesses that participate in the Tap Project receive an added benefit.
“A list of participating restaurants will be promoted across the Oxy campus prior to Water Week so these different restaurants essentially get free advertising,” Quinlan said.
Occidental students can also donate to the initiative directly. By texting “TAP” to UNICEF (864233), a $10 donation is made to the Tap Project. Additionally, the organization is auctioning off water bottles filled from faucets in places like Taylor Swift’s kitchen, a project known as Celebrity Tap. The idea for UNICEF club first came about last year.
“While there are a lot of people at Occidental that are interested in these kinds of issues, there wasn’t a particular club that they could be a part of in order to actually get involved,” President of UNICEF club Elena Siegel (sophomore) said.
Therefore, students Leah Glowacki (senior), Sierra Walker (junior) and Siegel decided the found the club. Work first began to start up the chapter this September, but the club didn’t become official until January. In addition to the Tap Project, the UNICEF club will be co-sponsoring events across campus in April for Genocide Awareness Month. They are planning to show films in order to advocate and educate about global issues. UNICEF club will soon be posting a list of restaurants that will be supporting the Tap Project, so students should be on the lookout.
“Access to clean water is a basic human right…by patronizing these restaurants during World Water Week, you can help raise money for this important cause,” Quinlan said.
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