water.glass.4How much do you appreciate a glass of water?

Did you know that 1.1 billion people on the planet don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water? That’s one in six of us. Unfortunately 2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die every year from diseases associated with not having access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene? Needless to say, the world is thirsty and there are now amazing charities that are taking action and want your help.
Check out our three favorites that help bring clean drinking water to people across the world. Let us know if you have any others in the comment section below.
H2O Africa Foundation: www.h20africa.org

Mission & Goal: “Increase awareness of the African situation, empower people to action, and create sustainable alliances between people who want to help, the best organizations in the field to make it happen, and some of the amazing communities of Africa that have no clean water.”

Strategies: Through its partnerships with the best water solution providers in Africa, H2O Africa not only sends 100% of your gift through to the project, we are also able to match every dollar you give.

Bonus: Matt Damon and James Moll came together to create the documentary Running the Sahara, the story of three ultra-endurance runners who were the first to run the Sahara Desert’s 4,000 miles (that’s two marathons a day for 111 days)! Toward the end of the file, the Running the Sahara team “set the goal of leaving a legacy of clean water wells in along their route – and in “clean water crisis zones” in Sub-Saharan Africa as well.”

The Blue Planet Run Foundation: www.blueplanetrun.org
Mission: “Create global awareness of the world’s safe drinking water and mobilize the citizens of the world to solve the problem.”
Goal: Provide safe drinking water to 200 million people by 2027.
Strategies: Donations, becoming a “messenger”, “Run 4 Water” events, youth programs, books and more. 100% of your contribution will go directly to fund water projects.

Bonus: You can choose from a variety of donation amounts: $30 buys 500 brinks to line a well all the way up to $10,000 buys a village of 110 families a complete water system!

Charity: Water: www.charitywater.org
Mission: “…bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations.”

Goal: “Drilling a well can cost from $4,000 – $ 12,000 and many living on less than $1 a day can not afford one in their community, even if the money is combined.  With the help of exemplary organizations on the ground, we can drill wells and provide people with this basic, essential need.”

Strategy: “$20 can give a person in Africa clean, safe drinking water for 20 years…100% of your donation will fund direct costs associated with the construction and maintenance of freshwater projects. This includes fuel for the drill rig, cement for the casing of wells and community training programs.”

Bonus: They prove every well built using photos, video, and GPS coordinates plotted in Google Earth!

Visit The September Campaign Trailer – www.borninseptember.org from charity: water.

[Photo from Reiner Schubert via Flickr]