I'm finishing school in May and a lot is going to change. I'd like to start changing things up early and do something a little different for my birthday. I'm going to join with charity: water to help out those with no clean water.

I'm turning 23 years old, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $23 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater wells for people in developing nations. That amount is enough to provide one person with enough clean water for 20 yrs.

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. 45,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still walk hours each day to get dirty water to give to their families.

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

please note: Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.