A group of Kingborough students have pushed themselves to the limit, hiking to the summit of kunanyi/Mount Wellington while carrying an unlikely item; a kitchen sink.
Grade 9 students from St Aloysius Catholic College took part in the ‘Sink to Summit’ challenge on February 27, raising funds and awareness for global water security.
The students walked 10 kilometres and climbed more than 1100 metres from the Waterworks Reserve to the summit, carrying the sink as a powerful symbol of the daily challenges faced by millions of people worldwide who must travel long distances to access clean water.
The initiative forms part of Project Compassion’s ‘Big Water Walk for Schools’, supporting communities in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
Student Charlie Ricciardello said the experience offered a new perspective.
“Having done the Sink to Summit, I am more grateful for what I have,” he said.
“I can go to a tap in my house anytime to get clean water and not have to walk a long distance to a river.”
Students raised more than their $1000 fundraising target, with the funds contributing towards the establishment of a domestic water collection point in rural Tanzania, expected to provide safe drinking water for up to 400 people.
St Aloysius Mission Director Polly Marriott said the challenge helped students better understand global inequality.
“By experiencing just a little strain or discomfort, it gives students a small insight into the daily struggles felt by millions around the world,” she said.
“It helps build empathy and shows how they can make a difference.”
Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten fundraiser, with schools across Tasmania taking part in activities focused on water scarcity and global poverty.
