Three-year-old Lola Murray Ahmed, who has grown up in both Weehawken and North Bergen, met her friend Sol Rivera, 4, of Bergen County at dance class. They’ve been enjoying weekly play dates ever since.
Both girls are growing up along the Hudson River surrounded by water, beauty, and opportunity.
But recently they were made aware that not all children share the same privileges – and that some don’t even have access to clean drinking water.
So Lola and her mom, Christyl Murray, who is a Weehawken real estate firm owner, joined Sol and her parents – Erica Rivera and TV Journalist Geraldo Rivera— to do something about it. They formed a campaign for charity: water, a non-profit organization that raises money to build wells in developing countries across the world.
Portions of charity: water videos will be played to educate other children about the issue.
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“Our goal is $5,000 for this summer,” said Christyl Murray last week. “We already have raised over $1,000 and we have not even held the event yet.”
charity: water gives each individual campaign three months to reach their goal – so Lola and Sol have until the end of summer to reach the $5,000 mark.
Imagine if’
After watching videos on the charity: water website of women and children carrying jugs weighing approximately 42 pounds from various water holes to their home, the Murray and Rivera families decided to play a game of “imagine if” with the girls.
So they headed down to the Hudson River waterfront to get some hands-on experience.
“We were trying to replicate the images in the video,” said Murray. “It’s yucky, there’s debris, it’s not safe. What if we had to go down here every day and get this water and serve it to each other to drink?”
The hands on experience quickly resonated with the young participants.
“I think it was alarming for her,” said Erica Rivera. “It was incredible for me to see her connecting, learning to have empathy, and be aware. It’s opening up the world for her.”
Both of the girls were overcome with how dirty the water was and felt sad for other kids who had to drink similar water.
They also felt the weight of how heavy the jugs are when full and thought of how hard it must be for the children to carry them home.
“It was interesting to me as a mom because she’s only three,” said Murray. “But to watch her acting it out was very powerful. She was sad and wanted to help.”
Playing for a cause
On their own play dates, Lola and Sol are known to get together for dancing and make-believe tooth fairy sessions.
But at the two charity play-date sessions to be held over the summer, the focus will be on raising funds and awareness.
Portions of charity: water videos will be played to educate other children about the issue. Jars will also be on hand to show the kids how heavy they are to pick up, making the experience more realistic and hands-on.
“The kids impacted by this are 4 to 5 years old,” said Murray. “That’s why we’re doing it with kids their age.”
The play date will segue into a celebration of a well that will be built with the money raised from their charity event.
Dates and information
The first play date event will be held at The Watermark building in North Bergen on June 26. The second will be held on Aug. 28. For more information contact (201) 223-4663 or visit http://mycharitywater.org/Sol_Lola_PlaydateForaWell to track the girls’ progress and make a donation.
Lana Rose Diaz can be reached at ldiaz@hudsonreporter.com.
By the numbers
According to the charity: water website, unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation cause 80 percent of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery, and other illnesses. Ninety percent of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are children under 5.