Can a used book help provide clean water? You bet

If you stop by Bay Used Books on Elm Street on May 24, not only can you get yourself something to read at a reasonable price, but help École St-Denis help a village in India as well.

The schools Grade 7/8 class is working with Free the Children as part of the organization's Adopt-a-Village Program. The students are trying to raise $5,000 to provide a clean water source for for a community in the Udaipar district of northern India.

Bay Used Books jumped on board by promising to donate all the profits from its May 24 sales to the cause.

“We are more than happy to be giving the proceeds from our sales that day to this most commendable cause,” said Anne Bouffard, co-owner of 60-year-old Bay Used Books.

The situation in Udaipar district is pretty dire, the students have learned. The under-five mortality rate is nearly 20 times the Canadian average, with many of these deaths attributed to a lack of safe drinking water, which can lead to outbreaks of fatal diseases like typhoid, hepatitis and cholera.

Not only does Udaipur district have one of the highest female illiteracy rates in India, but also 40 per cent of children under five suffer from malnutrition.

Grade 8 student Vincent Shea said it feels good to make a difference.

“The best part of this project is getting other people involved and excited about changing the world,” Vincent said.

Drop by Bay Used Books, on May 24 to fill up your summer reading list – it may just save a life.