Getting clean water requires no thinking for me, turning on a tap is a no-brainer and I never have to be concerned about being thirsty but that is not the reality for hundreds of millions of people. Nearly 1 out 10 people in the world live without clean water and every day, about 1,400 children die from diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. And that’s not it; access to clean water doesn’t just mean survival and good health but also education and income especially for women and children. Women face dangers of rape or being killed by animals during their long difficult journeys to collect water every day. When a community gets water, women and girls get their lives back and take charge of their own futures. The tragedies and hardships that come with lack of clean water are unimaginable, but the situation isn’t out of our hands.

There is SO much more we can do, and for my 18th birthday I want to do what I can to help. Instead of gifts, I would love it if people could donate to my campaign with charity water instead.

What will it be funding exactly?

“We work with local experts and community members to find the best sustainable solution in each place where we work, whether it’s a well, a piped system, a BioSand Filter, or a system for harvesting rainwater. And with every water point we fund, our partners coordinate sanitation and hygiene training, and establish a local Water Committee to help keep water flowing for years to come.”

100% of what is raised goes directly to water project costs and when they’re complete, charity: water will send me photos and GPS coordinates so I can see the exact community we helped. So how about saving the cost of a couple morning-on-the-go coffees, and donating instead? Every little helps!