“We must become the change we want to see in the world”
~Mohandas Gandhi

Last year in Social Studies I learned about Gandhi and his lifework. We were asked to say what this quote meant to us. To me it means that you have to transcend obstacles, be committed and take action if you want to help solve a problem in the world.

The problem that is close to my heart is lack of clean water in so much of the world. That is why I have chosen to donate my 15th birthday to charity: water. This is my first step into trying to make a change.

Access to clean water means education, income and health - especially for women and kids!

663 Million people in the world don’t have access to clean water – that is about 1 in 10 people! Most of these people live in rural areas and spend hours every day walking for water that is often very dirty. This effects girls and women the most as they are the ones who collect water for their families. Not only does walking for water keep kids out of school or take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the dirty water often carries diseases that can make everyone sick.

My family and I are currently supporting a project in Malwai where we are building a well in a small village through the non-profit organization called charity: water. I have chosen to send the donations I receive for my birthday to support this water project.

charity: water provides clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. They have funded 19,819 projects in 24 countries and have helped 6.1 million people get safe drinking water. All the donations will go directly into the field to provide families get clean water. Their solutions are simple and effective - things like freshwater wells, rainwater catchments and sand filters. For about $30 a person, they have figured out how to help millions of people.

Please donate to my campaign -- anything you can give is a huge help.

Thank you for helping me be the change I want to see in the world!

Love
Sophie💟🌎🌎