Water For People "Character Approved" by the USA Network
June 24, 2011
By Jerri Chou, USA Network
Water water everywhere, but not a single drop to spare. For the 884 million people around the world who don't have improved water, that's a reality.
While charitable efforts to dig wells and provide one-off solutions are well intentioned, lack of forethought into upkeep of things like water pumps can result in a breakdown of utilities, wasted resources, and ultimately ineffective aid. What's needed to serve these millions are long-lasting, sustainable plans.
Enter Water For People, a nonprofit that brings together local entrepreneurs, governments, and communities to establish creative, collaborative solutions that allow people to build and maintain their own reliable improved water systems.
Unlike most nonprofits, the Character Approved Water For People develops overarching strategies, focusing on full coverage within entire districts or municipalities. In addition, they create education and business opportunities for those in the community to ensure upkeep of water programs. Of course, there are volunteering opportunities available as well through their Water Corps initiatives, but the main objectives are local investment, local motivation, and local resources.
The result? A burgeoning organization that served over 325,000 new beneficiaries in 2009--a 77% increase over 2008. We'll cheers a tall cool glass of water to that.
What do you think?
