Three international bloggers take auto to tackle water woes

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It’s a strange idea, but its intent is undoubtedly good. On January 1, 2013, three women bloggers from different continents will drive an auto rickshaw 3,500 km, from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to Kochi, to raise funds to provide potable water to rural India.

The trio —UK born Hannah, Kim from the US and Australian citizen Sarah, have never met but they have formed a team called Namaste Outta My Way through conversations on the internet. The rickshaw drive has been organised by a British company, The Adventurist.

Sarah told Deccan Chronicle via e-mail chat that the team hopes to learn about the concerns of India’s rural people and help those who suffer from a scarcity of potable water.

Her research shows that 4000 children worldwide die every day because of waterborne diseases.
“We are taking part in the run aiming to raise funds for Frank Water, a non-profit that funds new clean water facilities for Indian villages in need,” Sarah says.

The three women will visit villages along the way to learn about the situation of the villagers. Frank Water, an NGO, funds the five-filter, reverse osmosis, clean water project in some of the world’s poorest communities.

Sarah has appealed for sponsors. “No donation is too small. Every penny really does count, and 100% of the money raised goes directly to Frank Water,” she says.

It all started with an email titled 'Call Me Crazy But…' posted by Hannah on her blog Further Bound.
Hannah sent the email to online friends and fellow travel bloggers, Sarah of Sarah Somewhere and Kim of So Many Places, inviting them to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. “She didn’t think we’d actually say ‘yes’, but we did,” Sarah says.

The three intend to write about their adventure as it progresses in the Rickshaw Run Diaries.