"BIRTHDAYS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD"
That is the idea behind the September Campaign.
2006
charity:water was founded (or "born," according to the organization) on September 7, 2006. It started on founder Scott Harrison's 31st birthday. Armed with an idea, but no money or office, Scott decided to throw himself a birthday party. Instead of gifts, he asked his guests to bring money. 700 people attended the party, each bringing $20 or more.
Scott's 31st birthday bash raised over $15,000. All of the money wet to a refugee camp in Uganda. Six freshwater wells were built there.
2007
Scott Harrison did not have a 32nd birthday party in 2007. He simply asked people to donate $32 (for 32 years) to charity:water instead of buying him presents. He also asked other people born in September to give up their birthdays and ask for donations instead of presents. With the help of the 700+ people who joined the effort, charity:water raised over $150,000. The money raised from the 2007 September campaign went to hospitals and schools in Kenya.
2008
Over 900 people, including actor Matt Damon, joined the movement in 2008. This time around, people were asked to donate $33 for Scott's 33rd birthday. The nearly $1 million raised was dispersed between 33 villages in Ethiopia and helped over 50,000 people.
Ethiopia was chosen to receive the million dollars raised because of their immediate need for clean water. More people in Ethiopia must live without water than in any other country in Africa. The country has a population of over 70 million people. One in four of these people are forced to live without clean water, and a mere 13% have access to the basic sanitation.
People who live in Ethiopia don't even have the option of boiling their water to make it safe to drink. In many areas, it is illegal to cut down trees for firewood. Firewood, a very rare and expensive commodity in Ethiopia, is normally only used for cooking.
2009
Scott Harrison and charity:water took it to a whole new level with the 2009 September Campaign trailer. In the video, Scott gives a very heartwarming monologue about the history, and future, of charity:water and the September Campaign. His words are paired with music and touching photos of water projects around the world. Scott ups the ante and asks everyone to give up their birthdays, even if they do not fall in September. He also asks for people to give up their wedding and anniversary presents. He urges everyone to get creative. The $1 million+ raised from the 2009 campaign went to water projects in Haiti.
2010
This year, the money raised by the 2010 September Campaign will go toward water projects for the Bayaka people in the Central African Republic. The UN has referred to the C.A.R. as "the world's most silent crisis."
Over the past 10 years, four civil wars broke out in the C.A.R. 40% of the country's wells, which were already few and far between, were destroyed. Refugees from Chad and Sudan caused many communities to swell from 1,000 to 10,000 people very quickly.
charity:water has already built 3 new wells and rehabilitated 50 in the C.A.R. and has plans to build 15 new wells and rehab over 100 more. These wells will provide water for thousands.
The September Campaign is bigger than ever this year. Actors Will and Jada Smith have jumped on board and given up their birthdays. The top 3 fundraisers in the September Campaign will win a trip to Africa. They will get the opportunity to go to Haiti with Will and Jada to see the completed wells.
I urge everyone to take part in the 2010 September Campaign and donate for a good cause!
Information courtesy of charity:water
Videos courtesy of youtube.com
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