Well Aware at work providing clean water for the impoverished Brett Buchanan
Next time you’re chugging a glass of water, consider that there are communities around the world without that ability, and be a little more grateful for that water.
We’re all guilty of it, taking everyday things for granted because they have such a normal presence in our lives. But Austin non-profit Well Aware has been working for eight years now to improve the lives of the impoverished, by bringing them something as basic as fresh, clean water.
Well Aware funds and implements clean water systems for impoverished communities in Africa. These systems are built to last and the partner communities are thriving as a result of careful planning and collaboration. Well Aware doesn’t view partner communities as charity cases. Rather, they truly treat them as partners and keep motivation and morale high within each community.
Members of a Well Aware community of 6,000 that now has clean water Brett Buchanan
Well Aware didn’t fund their first project in Africa until 2010, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t working before then. They spent their first four years of existence studying and experiencing everything that has worked and failed in Africa regarding water system implementation.
Through extensive research, Well Aware is consistently effective in several areas, providing fundraising, operation, implementation, training, community education and much needed follow-up. Through hard work and experience, the organization has evolved into something that resembles a non-profit jack-of-all-trades, if you will.
A Well Aware engineer teaches the children of Kalelwa, Baringo how to measure elevation Brett Buchanan
No Showers for a Week
Well Aware garnered a lot of attention earlier this year with their annual fundraising campaign, Shower Strike. Basically, the yearly event raises money by forming fundraising teams that raise a “stink” by boycotting showering for a solid week. This past April, Shower Strike saw its sixth year and raised more than $135,000. These funds ended up providing life-saving clean water to over 9,000 people in three separate Kenyan villages.
The Shower Strike teams are composed of individuals in all shapes and sizes. This past year, teams were composed of elementary students, rotary clubs across the United States, famous football players and actresses, breweries and distilleries and several Austin-based companies.
Since Shower Strike began in 2009, it has raised nearly half a million dollars and delivered lasting, clean water to over 29,000 people. The event has grown nearly ten times over, increasing from 15 participants in its first year to over 150 active individuals in 2014. It all started in Austin.
Well Aware’s Board of Directors celebrating Shower Strike Brett Buchanan
Whether through annual campaigns or daily work, the team at Well Aware continues to grow and bring clean water to those who desperately need it across the world. If you’d like to become a part of this wonderful Austin organization by donating or volunteering, visit the Well Aware website here.
@mattchampionatx asks:
What do you of Austin-based Well Aware and their mission?
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