LOS ANGELES — With each stroke of her pen, Stella Becir is bringing attention to the global water crisis.


What You Need To Know

  • World Water Day is March 22

  • The annual day brings attention to communities around the world living without safe

  • Pali Thirst Project is one of the more than 100 student chapters across the world

  • The chapter raised $12,000 to build a well for a community in need

It’s an issue Becir and her best friend Jenna Barad became involved with their freshman year. They recently made signs to hold up during a walk that was held on Sunday in Hollywood to help bring attention to the Global water crisis.

The march also marked World Water Day, which is recognized on March 22 annually. The day celebrates water and raises awareness of people living without access to safe water.

Becir and Barad became involved in the issue after they signed up to take part in the Thirst Project chapter at Palisades High School.

“We came to the first meeting to get a sense of what it was like, and then it was kind of this huge shock moment, and we were just completely in awe learning about the global water crisis,” said Becir.

Thirst Project is a movement of high school and college students across America who raise awareness of and bringing solutions to the global water crisis.

“[I] couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t known about the global water crisis, why so many people lacked this basic right to have water,” said Barad.

Becir asked herself some of the same questions.

“Why is there no attention in the media about this? Why aren’t we learning about it in our classrooms?”

Now, both in their senior year, the two best friends are co-presidents of their high school’s Thirst Project chapter.

Evan Wesley is the vice president for student activation for thirst project. Through the Organization’s student chapters, they’re able to raise money to build deep borehole wells in developing communities.

“Without our students there is no thirst project, this movement of students really is the frontline of bringing change all over the world,” said Wesley.

Wesley recently delivered containers to Becir and Barad, who carried them in the march.

“[We] hold them during the walk to symbolize the amount of water that women and children have to carry to get their own water,” said Barad.

But they’re not only bringing attention to the global crisis. Through their school chapter, they’ve raised $12,000 to build a well that will provide safe drinking water to up to 500 people.

“To think of it in terms of people and the amount of people we are helping, it’s very empowering,” Becir said.

It’s also proof that no matter how old you are, you can make a difference in the world.