Ironton girl hopes to raise money to build well

Clean water is something most of us take for granted, but an Ironton teenager who’s raising money for a well in Africa is learning just how important it is.

Fourteen-year-old Lena Williams, along with her church youth group, is hoping to raise $4,500 to build a well in Africa.

So far, through donations and the sale of hemp bracelets, Williams has raised around $750. She’s also made the decision not to drink anything but water until that goal is met.

Williams got the idea after attending a church camp and seeing a video about the global water crisis and a teenage girl who got sick from drinking contaminated drinking water.

As a whole, the camp raised more than enough to build a first well. Williams decided to raise money for a second well through the organization Active Water, which works to provide clean drinking water to communities in Africa.

“Just a little thing like giving water makes a huge difference in their lives,” William said.

Williams and her youth group from Central Christian Church made the bracelets and sold them at Family Fun Days in Coal Grove earlier this month. The group made $80 at that event.

Williams’ youth pastor, T.J. Parnell, said he’s proud of her and the rest of the young group for their efforts.

“I think one of the most important things to know and to learn is that the gifts we’ve been given as Christians are to be given back,” Parnell said.

“I’m really just extremely proud of them.”

This Sunday, Williams and her youth group are hosting a breakfast and showing the 20-minute video, Zambia’s Song that originally inspired them to take action.

The group will be selling the bracelets and taking donations for the project. A few other events such as bake sales and dinners are also planned for the coming weeks.

Parnell said he encourages people anyone to come to the breakfast, which is not only for church members. The only cost associated with the breakfast is what people are willing and able to donate towards the well project, Parnell said.

The breakfast will be around 9:45 a.m. Sunday, between Sunday school and the morning church service at Central Christian Church, 541 S. Seventh St., Ironton.