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Heroes

How Bechibila is turning dirty water into drinking water with a powder packet.

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P&G

Growing up, Bechibila was worried about how she could help others.

She knew she wanted to make a difference; she just didn't know how. And that's OK. It takes time to figure out your calling.

All images via P&G.


But in time, she realized what she was meant to do: help tackle the urgent clean water problem plaguing her community.

Their only sources of drinking water are nearby rivers, which are always dirty. When they drink it, they get sick. But, it's also their only option, so the problem seemed insurmountable.

Still, Bechibila was ready to tackle it head on.

"No matter what situation you find yourself in," she says. "You can always turn things around."

See how she's doing just that in the video below:

Thanks to this little packet and her commitment to the community, she's showing her neighbors how to turn dirty river water into the clean drinking water they need.

Posted by Upworthy on Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Yes, turning dirty water into drinking water with powder is real.

And it's the main reason why Bechibila travels from community to community, helping educate as many people as she can about the life-changing benefits of this innovation.

Just imagine how many lives can be saved by making one of the developing world's scarcest resources much more accessible.

You just pour the powder into your water.

Give it a little mix.

And then watch as all the dirt settles to the bottom.

From there, all anyone has to do is filter the purified water through cloth, wait 20 minutes, and voilà — fresh, drinkable water.

Sadly, many communities without clean water still exist all around the world.

In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 319 million people still don't have access to a reliable water source. And drinking dirty water can lead to serious diseases, such as cholera, Guinea worm disease, and typhoid fever. On top of that, 42% of health care facilities in Africa don't have access to clean water. It's a vicious cycle that needs to be put to an end.

Luckily, more and more people like Bechibila are fighting to change that.

P&G works with organizations and clean water advocates around the world, and together they've provided 11 billion liters of clean water to families who need it. Billions more are still needed to help everyone affected by clean water shortages, but with innovations like P&G's Purifier of Water packets leading the way, we could see significant change sooner rather than later.

And no matter the obstacle, nothing will stop crusaders like Bechibila from moving forward and making a lasting impact.

The journey toward progress is never easy. There will always be challenges in our way. And there's no denying that the task is daunting. Still, little by little, step by step, we'll get to where we need to go.

When faced with adversity, Bechibila simply reminds herself, "I can still go around and help others by educating them about clean water."

"I will travel as far as my bicycle will take me."

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