If you’ve been following on Twitter or if you’ve read my blog before you will know that I’m very passionate about and an NPO (non-profit organization) called the Water Project, Inc and it is my hope that after reading this post you will understand why and make a donation to my Firstgiving page – Firstgiving is a service that helps individuals and NPO’s to raise as much money as for possible for the causes the care about – all the money raised will be passed onto The Water Project, Inc as soon as the page closes on March 5th 2010. Here’s why I love The Water Project, Inc so much:
Who We Are
The Water Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that’s bringing relief to communities around the world who suffer needlessly from a lack of access to clean water.
What We’re Doing
We’re Providing Access to Clean Drinking Water, with Your Help!
Did you know that nearly 1 billion people don’t have clean, safe water to drink? We didn’t.
When we learned about the crisis, and that a few people can actually make a huge impact, we decided to get involved. Today we’re working in five countries helping hundreds of new people find access to water every week by funding water wells and other safe water projects.
How We Help
We tell stories. The story of water, the story of change, and the story of hope. These stories inspire people to raise the money needed to build wells and other water projects at schools, medical centres, churches and other public places in under-developed nations.
When people get involved and act, we’re able to connect them directly to the projects and the people doing the work. We show where every dollar is spent. We show the outcome. And when it doesn’t work out, we’ll show that too. After all, this work isn’t easy.
With monies raised, our partners in the field can do the digging and construction needed to provide clean, safe water efficiently and sustainably. They also mobilize, train, and follow-up with local communities, helping ensure long-term success.
We work closely with our partners around the world who identify, implement, report on and follow up on every project. That’s how we share the whole story with you and hopefully inspire confidence in the work being done and the impact it has.
Why We’re Doing It
We’re Christians and we believe Jesus makes a clear call to “provide a cup of cold water” and to answer the needs of those who say “I am thirsty” (Matt 25).
Our belief motivates our action. It doesn’t limit our reach.
That said, it’s important to note that we work with everyone, for everyone. Our belief motivates our action. It doesn’t limit our reach. It forms the basis of our integrity and the assurance that lives can be truly changed.
We work hard to help you help others. Our goal is to make sure your generous gifts are put to the best possible use. We want to see lives changed through hope restored.
We believe that providing clean water restores hope by enabling our partners to make a “whole-life impact” in the communities they serve through their broader development activity. We desire to see access to clean water enable schools to thrive, people to get back to work, farming to provide enough food to earn a living, and suffering to be alleviated as health improves.
We believe the issues facing Africa, India and other under-developed parts of the world are not simply today’s problems. We know that a lack of clean water stands in the way of tomorrow’s hope. And we’re sure that together we can change that.
Projects We Support
Using local labour and management, and donated funds, we help dig wells, build small dams, collect rain-water in large tanks, and filter dirty water with Biosand water filtration systems. We believe it is essential for assistance such as ours to be a help, not a hand-out.
Where We Work
The Water Project is currently focused on building a community of volunteers and raising money to construct water wells and rain water collection and filtration systems in communities throughout Kenya, Sudan, Sierra Leone and India.
Who We Work With
We’re empowering local NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and missionaries with an established presence in effected communities to do the work that’s needed to find and collect clean water. That means we send money and expertise to help local communities build their own long-term water solutions and then ensure they are trained to manage it.
We believe that our partners in the field know best how to help their own communities. Our part is telling their stories and inspiring people to act.
We believe that these smaller, more nimble, and locally-based implementation partners are incredibly effective and efficient at providing sustainable clean water solutions.
Are We a “Religious Organization”?
No. We are simply a Christian non-profit.
Religious organizations are organized and recognized differently than public benefit charities. The work we do through The Water Project is for the good of the general public. The reason we do this work is because we are Christians. We believe that important distinction allows us to work with people of all backgrounds and faiths for the benefit of all people. Our projects do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnic or religious backgrounds. We serve others.
We believe that bringing water to those who need it most is a natural expression of how Jesus Christ teaches us all to live. We believe these essential, life-sustaining projects will help enable our partners to demonstrate what loving one’s neighbour is all about. We believe these water projects relieve suffering, open doors to education, stimulate economic development, and most importantly introduce a true and lasting hope.
So simply put, we follow the teaching of Jesus who has called each of us to act, in this world, for peace and justice by loving our neighbour — however, whenever and wherever we can.
We exist to see the world changed through this love. It is a simple message of hope in an increasingly difficult world.
Partnerships
In 2010, The Water Project will continue to significantly expand our partnerships. We’re seeking small and medium-sized water NGO/NPOs who see the potential value in working together to provide access to clean water.
Our desire is to form a consortium of groups and organizations that allows each to do what they do best. If you are great at raising funds, drilling wells, fixing hand pumps, organizing events, or any of the parts necessary to making this work a success, we’d like to chat with you.
How We Began
When we heard first-hand from our friends in Kenya about the devastating effect the lack of clean drinking water is having in communities where they work and live, we had to act.
We began our work to alleviate suffering in August of 2006. And what started with a few inspired teens and adults, in Saint John, NB Canada – now based in Charlotte, NC, USA – today reaches thousands of new people every day with a compelling call to action. The Water Project, to date, has helped over 60,000 people improve their access to clean water. All of us have experienced the impact a few voices can have. We know that every effort and contribution matters. That’s why we continue to tell others, so that they might do the same.
We are asking everyone we meet to come with us and work towards a common goal of seeing water make it to the mouths of the nearly one billion people throughout the world who today suffer needlessly.
If reading this blog post has made you want to help me reach my goal of raising $4 500 for The Water Project, Inc then log onto http://www.firstgiving.com/nishavarghese click the ‘give now’ button and make a donation.
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