Summary — The Water Princess 📖💧

Overview

• Story based on the childhood of Georgie Badiel, written by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds.
• Presented by Children Mending Hearts (non-profit) for educational purposes.
• Narrator: Princess Gigi, recounting life in Burkina Faso and the daily water struggle.

Key Scenes & Moments

• Imagined kingdom: Gigi sees her home as a vast African sky where she is a princess who can tame animals and the wind — except she cannot make water come closer. 🌌👑
• Daily routine: Early mornings, Gigi and her mother wake before sunrise to walk miles to a distant well to collect water. The journey includes singing, dancing, and collecting shea nuts for energy. 🚶‍♀️🎶🥜
• At the well: Women and girls gather; pots are filled with dusty, earth-colored water. Some travel farther and return late. Conversations, laughter, and community accompany the chore. ⛲👩‍👧‍👧
• Return home: The walk back is slower and more arduous with heavy pots. On arrival, limited water is rationed for drinking, cooking, washing. Gigi drinks, bathes, and plays, but there’s never enough. 🥤🧺
• Mother’s hope: When Gigi asks why water is so far and unclear, her mother comforts her: “Someday you will find a way.” 🌱

Facts & Context

• Nearly 1 billion people (~1 in 6) lack access to clean water globally. 🌍
• In Burkina Faso, about 25% of the population lacks clean water access.
• Daily water collection prevents many children (particularly girls) from attending school.
• Average daily walk to fetch water: ~4 miles (about 70 football fields). 🏈

Real-life Inspiration & Action

• The story is inspired by Georgie Badiel’s childhood experiences.
• Georgie co-founded efforts (with organizations like Ryan’s Well) to bring clean water to Burkina Faso and beyond. 🤝💧
• The book aims to raise awareness and inspire action.

Calls to Action / Resources

• Learn more and get involved:
  • Ryan’s Well: www.ryanswell.ca
  • Georgie Badiel: georgiebadiel.org
  • Reading guide & activities: ichooseempathy.org

Message

• The tale blends lyrical imagination with harsh reality to highlight water scarcity’s human cost and to motivate empathy and change. ✨➡️💧

The end.