Charity:Water’s Birthday Celebration Means Healthier Birthdays For Rwanda’s Mothers and Babies

Here in America where water drips from faucets in almost every home, school, hospital and business, it’s hard to imagine what a billion people in the world go through just to wash their hand or have a drink of water.  Women and children walk for miles lugging jerry cans, buckets and jugs to the closest water source, which often consists of a contaminated stream or pond, that’s also used for bathing and laundry and shared with wild animals and livestock. It’s not hard to imagine what else they lug home in their water:  parasites, bacteria and viruses that frequently cause fatal diseases. 

That’s why organizations like Charity:Water focus on bringing safe, clean water to the developing world.   Clean water washes over every aspect of life and makes a deep impact on improving living conditions, health conditions and economic and educational development in countries drowning in poverty.  When safe water comes to a village, disease rates go down and economic development goes up.  Children walk to school instead of back and forth to get water.  They stay in school instead of dropping out because of sickness or lack of basic sanitation and hygiene facilities. Mothers dramatically improve their family’s living conditions becausewater allows them to do simple tasks we take for granted – laundry, gardening, bathing, housecleaning and cooking foods their family likes.  When hygiene and sanitation are improved, the wellbeing of entire communities is magnified. All for the price of water.

Charity:Water’s approach to providing clean water to developing countries integrates high-level water technology with low cost problem solving and works with villages and community members to build projects like freshwater wells, rainwater catchments and sand filters. For about $20 a person, Charity:Water helps millions get the water they desperately need.  But water’s just the beginning.  They also provide sustainable jobs building, maintaining and facilitating water projects for the people they serve.  

Charity:Water turned six years old this September and in that short amount of time, they’ve turned on the water in 20 countries.  While concurrently operating projects all over the world, they give special focus to one country per year.  This year it’s Rwanda and in honor of their birthday, Charity:Water is holding a special campaign to raise $1.7 million dollars and 100 percent of the money they raise will be used to fund large-scale water systems in Rulindo District.

One of Charity:Water’s projects will have a direct impact on improving maternal health in Rwanda, a country with some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world. A local hospital has operated without running water since the genocide in 1994, treating countless patients suffering (and dying) from dehydration and water-borne diseases.  Patients swallow medicine with contaminated water. Basic hand washing and cleaning are major challenges because without running water, the hospital must buy and transport water from the nearest city, just to meet basic hydration and sanitation needs.  Clean running water will make a powerful difference in their ability to provide sanitary healthcare to mothers, children and their families.  


How can you help?  Charity:Water uses 100 percent of donations to fund water programs around the world.  

• To take part in their September campaign for Rwanda, log on and learn how you can start your own fundraising campaign or contribute to someone else’s, sponsor a water project or make a general donation.  
• To make Charity:Water part of your own birthday celebration, consider asking friends and family to donate to a water project in lieu of gifts. 
• To become a Charity:Water volunteer, fill out their online request for information and they’ll get back to you with volunteer opportunities that match your skills. 
• To request a Charity:Water speaker to attend your school, business, church or community event, fill out their online request form and they’ll email their availability. 
• To learn more about the world’s water crisis, watch Charity:Water’s videos and read about inspiring people making a big difference.