Are You looking to make a difference in this World, but don’t where to begin? Well, those born in September can start this coming month by asking their friends to forego their birthday gifts and use the money for charity instead.
The year before, Charity: Water’s September campaign resulted in 800 people giving up their birthday presents, asking their friends, family and other acquaintances to donate to the organization instead. This resulted in close to $1,000,000 of donations that brought clean water to people in Ethiopia.
Led by founder Scott Anderson, Charity: Water has proven to be one of the most successful charity organizations in recent years. Using a natural knack for promotion and marketing, the group (which lists 11 full-time employees and over 20 unpaid interns) has raised close to $10 million dollars in only three years of operation.
Charity: Water’s main goal is to provide safe and clean drinking water to the over 1 billion people in the world who don’t have access to it. Using the donations they receive, the group commissions the building of sustainable water infrastructures for depressed areas, tapping into the fresh water reserves found in underground lakes and aquifers.
Drilling a well and building a way to supply the potable water normally costs between $4,000 and $12,000, a large amount of money that people who live on a dollar a day can’t exactly afford. When you provide funds to the organization, you can see exactly which well has been built with your donation (they post photos and GPS coordinates so donors can look them up on Google Earth). You can also be certain that all of your money is spent in providing the water infrastructure, as the group’s administrative expenses is not drawn from new contributions; instead, it’s shouldered by 500 of the team’s longtime benefactors.
Charity: Water is expanding their campaigns well beyond the September efforts, though, so visit the website to find other ways that you can participate.