For women and girls in the Sahel, the first step out of poverty begins with clean water. We can help!

During the hotter part of the year, the average temperature in the Sahel region of West Africa is more than 110 degrees. For women and girls living here, not having access to clean water means hours of painful and exhausting work. Many of them walk miles each day just to reach the 100-year-old hole in the ground where they collect water. And they make that trip four or five times. Not only is that water contaminated and dirt-colored, but it has to be pulled up by hand, one bucket at a time.

Charity: Water can bring solar powered pumps into communities and pipe water to tap stands right next to these families' homes. They can bring time, energy, and a better future to 100,000 people in Mali and Niger. 100% of everything we raise will directly fund water projects. And when those projects are finished, Charity: Water will send us proof in pictures and GPS coordinates, so we can see the actual people and communities we impacted.

As you know, we started supporting September Campaign Charity: Water when our September baby, Avery, turned one. That year we exceeded our goal and helped bring clean water to families in the Itibou community of the Central African Republic (see the video of the drill here: http://www.charitywater.org/media/videos/watch?v=1484)

When we learned that our second baby was also a September baby we knew we had to continue the tradition. For Benjamin's 1st (and Avery's 3rd) birthday we again exceeded our goal and brought clean water to families in Rwanda (http://www.charitywater.org/september/12/).

Now their odd birthdays have come around again (where did the time go???!!!) and after showing them the video clips of the families in the Sahel region, they agreed that we need to keep the tradition going...

In lieu of a party or presents, please give what you can, even a small gift of $5 or $10 helps. Thank you!