On Saturday 18 November gyms all over the planet will be staging Workout for Water fundraising events, and superstar Hugh Jackman is encouraging everyone to get involved.
The idea is to celebrate World Children’s Day (on 20 November) and raise funds to help UNICEF, the world’s leading organization for children, provide essentials such as safe drinking water, sanitation, health care, immunizations, nutrition and more to some of the world’s most vulnerable children.
“Workout for Water is going to be huge,” says Jackman, a long-time supporter of UNICEF. “You won’t want to miss out on this chance to move the world for children.”
As anyone familiar with Jackman’s film work will know, the actor is in great physical shape himself. What they might not know so much about is his long history of philanthropy. As well as being a proponent of microcredit (a way of extending very small loans to entrepreneurs in impoverished countries), he is an advisor for the Global Poverty Project, which aims to eradicate extreme poverty worldwide.
A dedicated practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, Jackman also helps the David Lynch Foundation in its mission to bring the benefits of TM to everyone from trauma sufferers to disadvantaged inner-city children.
All of his work with charities and his own interests in sports and physical activity mean Jackman is the ideal ambassador for Move the World Workout for Water. “The world needs a workout, we all need a workout,” he says. “This is our chance to come together and show the world what we can do on behalf of kids.”
Right now Les Mills is working with gyms and instructors all over the world, encouraging the world’s fitness lovers to hold their own Workout for Water – and get all of their members, friends and family involved. The aim is to raise USD $414 from every workout – the cost of building one water pump for a village or district. Just one pump can bring clean, safe drinking water to an entire community. Clean water is so important. About every two minutes, a child dies from diarrhoea due to unsafe drinking water, poor hygiene and sanitation.
Jackman’s wife, actress Deborra-Lee Furness, says the Move the World Workout for Water will be a fantastic way to kick-start the celebration of World Children’s Day. “Work up a sweat and help raise the $414 it takes to deliver a water pump that brings safe clean water to an entire community. You’ll be helping to protect and transform the lives of thousands of children.”
“Let’s make it big!” adds Jackman. “Come on, let’s move the world!”
Find out more about how you can get involved today.
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