World News
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Children make a dangerous trip for clean water
Children cling on as they walk along a narrow cliff path in search of water.
A drought has forced the children to make the dangerous journey to look for drinking water in caves.
Southwest China is in the middle of its worst drought in 50 years and it’s affecting 17 million people.
Almost all the crops have died and streams have dried up.
The drought has been so bad that the school in the village of Chahe has lengthened the summer holiday so that children can continue to fetch water for their families. Every day they are forced to make their dangerous way along this track carved into the cliff.
Our picture shows eight-year-old Yang Wei who lives in Chahe village with her grandmother and little brother while her parents work in another city. Each day Yang makes many trips to a cave to collect water for their daily needs.
The cave where the water is located is in the middle of a vertical cliff 1km away from the village.
It takes Yang and her friends an hour to make the journey there, fetch the water and return to the village.
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31 Comments
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sambarose2 (Age 11) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 15:41
Thats awful! I think an eight year old should be learning and having fun rather than travelling that far for water... other countrys should be doing more to help children like Yang Wei.
frules (Age 13) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 15:49
It is terrible that they have to make such a long journey for clean water when we take it for granted.
PinkBoden (Age 14) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 16:02
Where does all of the money we give to Children in Need or Comic Relief go to then? There can't be that many places in the world that need as much attention drawn to as the route this girl is taking to get water.
yaw22 (Age 8) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 16:06
bad bad bad
sweetcandy (Age 10) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 16:13
That is horrible to think that they have to take a long tiring trek to get what we take for granted. It is also appalling that she is EIGHT years old and even when we do that sort of stuff we would have a harness and helmet, not a huge basket!!!
Cescychops (Age 13) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 16:32
Itsnso easy for us to just turn on the tap, but for them...it's awful :(
Cescychops (Age 13) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 16:32
Sorry that was supposed to say it's so
redhorse10 (Age 14) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 17:06
I think this is a terrible thing! Young children should not have to take such a big responsibilty whilst we can simply turn on a tap for our water. It's dangerous because they have to go on a cliff, and it takes an hour! So it takes them an hour to just collect the water whilst it takes us just a few seconds. Where's the justice in that? :|
shoeless27 (Age 10) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 17:33
that is really bad, especially for an 8 yr old when we can drink from the tap. The water in the cave is probably dirty anyway so why spend so long collecting dirty water? :( :(:(:(
kicky105 (Age 12) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 17:48
This is awful. It shows you how much you take for granted and they can't just turn on a tap. She and her friends need to lead a normal life, and they must be petrified. They could fall down easily and lose their lives.
laurcool (Age 12) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 18:22
I think it is really unfortunate because these children should be going to school instead for a better future for them and the journey could also be dangerous. The water they will get will probably be dirty and it's sad that they aren't as priveledged as us. :(
Crystal- (Age 13) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 18:59
That's terrible. When I was 8, I was in school learning and having too much water. I'd want to give her water from here. I feel sorry for her.
chocdragon (Age 12) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 19:05
This article shows just how much we take for granted, as we can just turn on a tap and voila!, water. It's not like that in China, especially not now, with the drought. They need normal lives, and do things that children are supposed to do. One of the rights that every person is supposed to have is the right to clean water. But surely they don't have to go to those lengths just to get it??
Crystal- (Age 13) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 19:24
A simple 8 year old should be in school. We turn on the tap when we're washing our hands and its so awful to find out that they've hardly got any water to just DRINK!!! :( Children should have the privilege to go school not climb a cliff. :(
AquaPuppy (Age 11) wrote on Thursday, 15 September 2011 @ 20:42
That's terrible! Why do young children have to risk their lives? THIS IS INHUMANE, PEOPLES!
Ellie-mo (Age 13) wrote on Friday, 16 September 2011 @ 09:11
Thats awful! why can't children in need or a charity help them! Its not fair when we can get water from a tap and they hve to take a path that could kill them, and all becuz the need water!!
pipapip (Age 12) wrote on Friday, 16 September 2011 @ 16:35
horriblw
rockgirl (Age 11) wrote on Friday, 16 September 2011 @ 17:24
That is awful! The children do not even have a safe journey, never mind carrying all of that heavy water! Children under 12 should all go to school and have a good education, doing this at the age of 8 is just horrible. All we have to do is turn a tap and abra cadabra, the water is there! Someone should do something to help these poor children D:
dawn123145 (Age 10) wrote on Friday, 16 September 2011 @ 20:09
How awful, those poor children and grandma! It isn't fair that those children have to walk so long (1hr) and far...There only small :(
fjw2011 (Age 9) wrote on Friday, 16 September 2011 @ 20:30
Why don't they ask someone who is dealing good at climbing not risk their lives to get water thats so dangerous!
superdog7 (Age 12) wrote on Friday, 16 September 2011 @ 20:38
that horrible it is a shame that has to happen
anikan (Age 10) wrote on Saturday, 17 September 2011 @ 11:01
GOSH!!!
looby99 (Age 12) wrote on Saturday, 17 September 2011 @ 14:12
That is terrible as people in England get as much water as they want in a few seconds, whereas they have to make a life threatenning journey for a little bit of water.
mmmeerkat (Age 11) wrote on Sunday, 18 September 2011 @ 16:47
When my brother read this he said he would never wash his hand have showers or baths ever or go to the toilet!!!!!!!! But still:-0
imapotato (Age 12) wrote on Monday, 19 September 2011 @ 18:11
This is really bad. People often complain about how they have to do their chores or tidy thier room. Most people often take long baths or waste water without thinking or halving qualms about it - they should be thankful that they dont have to make this perilous journry just to get a drink or wash. So you should think before you have a water fight!!
peace111 (Age 12) wrote on Monday, 19 September 2011 @ 19:01
This article is life changing! If everyone could not take water for granted then we wouldn't feel that bad!! They have to make that terrible journey just to survive!!! I wish I could fly over and give everyone enough water for a year and then do it again and again and again!
CHERUB15 (Age 13) wrote on Tuesday, 20 September 2011 @ 18:11
The children should be out enjoying their childhood! I doesn't last forever you know! No man, woman or child should have to make a journey like that just for water!
Yoda521 (Age 10) wrote on Thursday, 22 September 2011 @ 19:52
well thats just very very sad they were ment to be going to school and having fun not doing somthing in which they gonna die for. :(
Yoda521 (Age 10) wrote on Thursday, 22 September 2011 @ 19:56
very wery bad
Yoda521 (Age 10) wrote on Thursday, 22 September 2011 @ 19:56
very bad
Yoda521 (Age 10) wrote on Thursday, 22 September 2011 @ 20:01
i agree with impotato