Most children are able to go to school, and never have to worry about not having the basic needs of survival or where they would get it from. Unfortunately, as Girl Scout Brownie Julia came to learn, that isn’t always the case. Many children have to assume responsibilities so their family can have the basic necessities, preventing them from being able to go to school. Stepping up to make a change can seem like a tall order, but Julia believed that anyone, including herself, can make a difference if they just get a little creative. 

In October, while Julia and her troop were working on their Wonders of Water badges she learned about a young girl in Africa who had to travel long miles to obtain water for her daily In October, while Julia and her troop were working on their Wonders of Water badges, she learned about a young girl in Africa who had to travel many miles to obtain water for her daily needs. The young girl would sometimes have to make multiple trips in a day which was so time-consuming and back-breaking for her, that she didn’t have time to go to school. Julia and her troop members had the opportunity to see firsthand how hard it was to do this by carrying two gallons of water up and down a hill for about 100 yards. After experiencing the turmoil the young girl and the other villagers had to go through to get such a basic necessity, Julia learned that someone built a well in the young girl’s village. This not only made it easier for the girl to obtain water but it also cleared up some time in her day so that she could go to school.

Julia saw how one act of kindness changed one girl’s life and decided she wanted to be a part of that change, as well. Inspired to take action, she talked to her dad about how she, too, wanted to build a well. He challenged her to brainstorm ideas that would help her accomplish her goal. Using her creativity and fundraising skills, Julia came up with the perfect idea. She had always loved to write, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she had been able to refine her craft. She decided that she wanted to sell one of her stories to help raise money for her water project. Not only did Julia write the book, she also created the illustrations for it. With help from her dad she was able to get it published on Amazon. So far Julia has raised $3,371 of the $6,000 needed to meet her fundraising goal. If you would like to donate, you can give directly to the Julia Campaign for Water page online, or you can buy her book Willa’s Adventures on Amazon. Proceeds from the book will go towards the water project. To learn more about Julia’s book read below.