FHU Biology Students Try ‘Walking A Mile In Their Shoes'

Approximately 25 Freed-Hardeman University students tried “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes” Sunday, Nov. 13, as they participated in “Water Walk.” The walk, led by students in Dr. Rachel Stevens’ Principles of Biology class, was an effort to raise awareness regarding the lack of clean drinking water in Africa.

Students walked from FHU’s Brown-Kopel building to the Forked Deer River on Highway 100. They carried containers and brought gallons of water back to the business building. “I was getting tired on the walk back, only carrying half a gallon,” Madison Mayhew, a student in the class, said. “I can’t even imagine the struggle of carrying multiple gallons for several miles.”

“On average, a family in Africa has to walk more than a mile every day just to get drinking water,” Stevens said. “That does not include water for other daily activities.” The average African family uses five gallons of water per day while the average American individual uses almost 180 gallons of water per day, according to Stevens. “Carrying just one gallon of water,” she said, “puts that into perspective.”

Stevens uses an unusual approach to teaching the freshman level, general education biology class. She teaches the principles of biology by relating them to important topics in the world. This semester, the principles are being tied to the AIDS crisis in Africa. The clean water issue is relevant to preventing additional infections in those who have AIDS.

Following their walk to secure water, students watched a video from the Blood Water Missions web site. The organization helps to provide clean water in Africa, especially in areas affected by AIDS.

One student participating in the walk decided to go the proverbial “extra mile.” She walked barefooted for those who have no shoes.

“It was ironic,” Mayhew said, “that we were all thirsty by the end of the walk, but none of us considered opening our jugs and drinking the water we had collected.”