All of my birthdays have always been about stuff.

20th : Art & Lutherie Guitar
21st : Burberry Scarf & Coach Swingpack
22nd : Kitchen Aid Mixer & iPhone 4
23rd : East Coast Trip

I have bought so much for myself.
I have been given so much as well.
So this year, I'm giving my birthday up.

I'm turning 24 years old and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $24 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater projects for people in developing countries.

Almost a billion people in the world are living without clean water -- but how much are they really living? Millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 30,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still have to walk hours each day to get dirty water for their families.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't really need; it's to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion people living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

The best part: 100% of all donations go directly toward water projects. And about 18 months after this campaign ends, charity: water will show us where and how every dollar we raised ended up helping in the field. We'll see GPS coordinates, photos and more details about the communities we've impacted.

CLEAN WATER.
It's a basic need, it's a human right, and it's the greatest gift I can think of to give, or to receive, for my birthday this year.

Please give generously and together lets see lots more people gain access to something we take for granted every day.

Love,
Karin.