Water Forward: Project of Humanitarian Proportion

_{First a bit about the process of getting a sub-cat in the Community Projects Gallery, then read about the project for clean water.}

The Clean Water Project is a brand-new sub-category under Community Projects. It all started when I got a wonderful DD suggestion from PutYourBraveFaceOn who always has something in depth to say about any suggestion that she sends to Community Volunteers. Well-thought out and written, I pay very close attention to what she has to say.



As usual, I read through the comments after the DD went live, and when I did I read a comment from Mayu-Sakuri who asked if the deviation referred to the The Thirst Project. I returned her comment asking for additional information and she explained that a man who had attended her school had created the project. When I linked on the site I saw that it all started with a photograph. A friend of Seth Maxwell's, the founder of The Third Project, had returned from a humanitarian trip to Uganda, and after hearing the friend's story Seth was staggered to learn the need of clean water in the country.

Along with friends, Seth Maxwell started The Thirst Project and they travel to Middle Schools, High schools and College Campuses to explain the need for fundraising in order to help cope with the #1 killer of children in the world, the lack of clean water.

From there I noted moonbeam13 about the DD I gave and the information I had found, and asked about having a sub-cat created for Water Projects. She noted back that our very own spyed is promoting WaterForward*, a fundraising movement to bring clean water to almost a billion people in the world who do not have the luxury of simply having a source of clean water nearby. The project Angelo is promoting called WaterForward, is an online book filled with the faces of the people helping to end the water crisis in the world. Each slot in the book costs only $10 and 100% of the money goes to the charity whose objective reads: "Water - Helping Build Water Projects in Developing Countries".

Here is the key. You cannot put yourself in the book. Someone else who is already IN the book, someone you know who could be your friend, your colleague or relative, can sponsor you with a $10 donation. You see, someone else put that person in the book. Now it is his/her turn to put YOU in the book. Then you can sponsor another person to get into the book! The Pay It Forward Video explains just how the project works. The book will be published as a powerful tome when it is full, which will entail 1,000,000 people strong. Once that volume is filled the next volume will be started!

"Pay it Forward" is a concept that was often talked about by Coach Woody Hayes at The Ohio State University decades ago. He inspired players, students and countless people via speeches and papers he wrote. As Quoted, "You can never pay back, so you should always try to pay forward" and "Paying forward... you can do it the rest of your life." Coach Hayes stressed that "Paying Forward" far exceeded the benefit of "Paying Back". It starts a chain reaction that escalates to the point where more and more people become involved, thus raising awareness of the need. As the WaterForward Project Site states, "Each new person in the book makes a dent in the global water crisis. If you don't pay it forward, then the chain of giving stops with you."

For far too many people, getting a clean glass of water doesn't mean walking over to the sink and turning on the faucet. It means searching, sometimes walking in dangerous conditions for miles, for a clean source of water for basic sanitation, washing clothes or simply being able to have a drink without the fear of dysentery and the many illnesses caused by a lack of clean water. 90% of the 30,000 deaths that occur every, single week due to unhygienic living conditions are children five-years old and younger. That is a Crisis of epidemic proportions. Clean water isn't an option, it is a necessity of life. Improving sanitation and providing a clean source of water does, can and will save lives, create better lives and create safer lives.

The new sub-category is listed as Community Projects/Awareness/2011/Clean Water Projects and deviations that target the need for clean water, awareness and additional water projects are welcome to use this sub-cat. Support the Charity Water Organization, WaterForward and The Thirst Project. Pay it Forward.

_{*Must have a Facebook ™ or Twitter ™ account to participate!}