$20 can give clean water to a person in Africa for 20 years
charity: water is a nonprofit organization bringing clean and safe
drinking water to people in developing countries.
With a radically transparent model that sends 100% of public
donations straight to the field, charity: water funds sustainable
water projects in areas of greatest need and works with local
partners to implement them. The organization proves every
project, using innovative technology and powerful storytelling to
connect donors with their impact.
Since 2006, charity: water has more than 24,500 water projects
around the world to help 7.3 million people get access to clean
water, hygiene and improved sanitation.
FOUNDER´s STORY
Scott Harrison spent almost 10 years as a
nightclub promoter in New York City, living
decadently and extravagantly. But at age
28, he had a crisis of conscience and found
himself lost and unfulfilled, desperate to
rediscover his sense of purpose. He decided
it was time for a drastic change, and left
NYC to spend a year volunteering as a
photojournalist aboard a hospital ship off the
coast of Liberia, West Africa.
During this time, Scott witnessed and
photographed levels of poverty and illness
he never knew existed. As one year turned
into two, Scott came to understand that many
of the infections and diseases their group
was treating were waterborne, and could
have been prevented if people had access
to clean drinking water. He noticed a lot of
existing organizations treating the effects of
dirty drinking water, but he was determined to
do something about the cause.
Upon returning to NYC in 2006, Scott
turned his full attention to the global
water crisis and the (then) 1.1 billion people
living without access to clean water. He
established a small core support team in a
tiny Manhattan apartment to develop the
foundation of charity: water. Starting with
the simple idea of charging admission to his
birthday party, Scott raised enough to get
charity: water off the ground.
Since then, charity: water has come a long
way in the fight for clean drinking water.
We’ve raised $250 million and provided 7.3
million people with clean water. But there’s a
long way to go. 663 million people still lack
access to life’s most basic need and we’re
just getting started.
WHY WATER?
663 million people in the world live without
clean water. That’s nearly 1 in 10 people
worldwide, or, twice the population of the
United States. The majority live in isolated
rural areas and spend hours every day
walking to collect water for their family. Not
only does walking for water keep kids out
of school or take up time that parents could
be using to earn money, but the water often
carries diseases that can make everyone sick.
But when a community gets access to clean
water, it can change just about everything. It
can improve health, increase access to food,
grow local economies, and help kids spend
more time.
TWO BOLD PROMISES
When we started charity: water, we made two bold promises: 100% of public donations would go directly to the field to fund clean water projects and we would prove every dollar through a radically transparent model.
LOCAL PARTNERS
We have funded experienced local partners in 24 countries to build
and implement clean water projects for communities, schools, and
health clinics. Our partners carefully select water point locations based
on geography, assessments of need, and other local factors.
THE SPRING
The Spring is a monthly giving program made up of passionate
supporters who are committed to seeing a day when everyone on the
planet has clean water.
THE PLATFORM
mycharity: water is an online fundraising platform where anyone
can start a campaign to raise money for clean water projects – from
the 4-year-old who sold her paintings, to the college students who
biked cross-country, to the 89-year-old grandmother who gave up
her birthday in exchange for donations to clean water.
The platform makes it possible for us to connect every person who
gives to the people they help. A feature called Dollars to Projects
tracks every dollar raised on our fundraising platform, showing
donors the water projects they helped fund.
More than $45 million has been raised on the
my charity:water platform through nearly 40,000 individual
campaigns like these ones.
More Resources:
Media Kit
Anual Reports
Water Crisis and 3 Solutions: Pledge, Donate, Fundraise
Donate to The Spring
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