Girlguiding Bermuda raised more than $10,000 for Africans affected by drought and a local organisation, the Orchard Charity Club.

Rainbow, Brownie and Guide units across the island held walkathons, trash-a-thons, bakes sales, car washes and pledged events, to raise the cash, most of which will go towards a project to install water pumps for drinking water in Somalia.

Mercy Corps, which has organised the Somalian project, will receive $9,000. An additional $1,500 will be presented to Orchid Charity Club, a local charity created to help those who are less fortunate.

"I am very grateful to Girlguiding Bermuda for their wonderful efforts in raising this money," said Minda Hedges Selbert of Mercy Corps. "We will be using the funds to install three water pumps and, on behalf of the people of Somalia, I would like to extend our gratitude."

The decision to contribute to Somalia was in keeping with the theme of this year's Thinking Day service for Girlguiding Bermuda ¿ water.

As part of that, local units were educated about some of the horrifying statistics in Third World countries. More than 1.1 billion people, roughly one sixth of the world's population, do not have access to safe water. Mercy Corps helps fulfill the water needs of vulnerable populations, offering solutions that include piping drinking water to rural communities, working to solve resource-based conflicts, and ensuring that people have access to drinking water in the aftermath of devastating emergencies.

With those statistics in mind, Girlguiding Bermuda rose to the challenge extended ¿ to raise the necessary funds to assist people in Somalia. One group, the 1st St. Patrick's Brownie Unit, agreed to drink only water or milk as their beverage and solicited pledges and donations for their efforts.

"We are most grateful to everyone who has contributed in any way to this Water Challenge Project," said Jane Bielby of Girlguiding Bermuda. "Water is essential for life, good health and economic development. We hope that our funds will help the people of Somalia have access to clean, safe water."