That being said, here is a recap of the life of the man who started it all :
Born and Raised...
Scott Harrison was born on September 7th, 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the first, and only child of Charles and Joan Harrison. When Scott was young, his family moved to Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
When Scott was at the young age of 4, his mother became ill. His parents, trying to be more eco-friendly, had a new furnace installed in their home. Unfortunately, the new furnace was cracked, and Joan Harrison was exposed to carbon monoxide.
SIDE NOTE: For those of you who may not know, carbon monoxide is essentially poison to humans. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Large quantities of carbon monoxide are toxic to humans and animals. The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are: headache, nausea, vommitting, dizziness, fatigue, and an overall feeling of weakness. Carbon monoxide poisoning can also lead to more serious health issues, such as: confusion, disorientation, visual disturbance, seizures, coma, and even death. One simple way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is to place carbon monoxide detectors (which are similar to smoke detectors) throughout your home.
Joan Harrison's immune system was destroyed do to her exposure to carbon monoxide. She became debilitated, suffering from various serious chronic health issues. Due to his mother's poor health, Scott grew up taking care of her and their home.
Life in the Big Apple...
When Scott was 18 years old, he left his home in New Jersey and headed to the big city: New York. There, he enrolled in New York University. Scott has said that he was not a diligent student NYU. Nevertheless, in 1998, he graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in communications.
Scott spent the next few years rebelling from his Christian upbringing. He began working as a party promoter in Manhattan. He made his living promoting New York City's top nightclubs and fahion events. He threw lavish parties for many companies, including MTV, VH1, Bacardi, Elle Magazine, and the like. He spent his time chasing after models, mingling with New York City's elite crowd, and indulging in drugs (including cocaine and ecstasy).
Scott has described this period of his life with great distaste. He claims that he was in a state of "spiritual bankruptcy... living selfishly and arrogantly." He was "desperate, unhappy, and needed change."
Scott decided that he needed to start a new life for himself. He wanted to lead a life that was the exact opposite of the way he had been living in New York City. In 2004, he did just that.
The Big Change...
In 2004, Scott Harrison left New York City, crossed the Atlantic, and headed to the shores of West Africa, where he would stay for the next 8 months.
Scott had signed up to volunteer for Mercy Ships, a Christian humanitarian organization. Mercy Ships offered free medical care to people living in the world's poorest countries. Top surgeons and doctors from around the world gave up their practices and extravagant lives to lend a hand to those in need. These doctors performed free medical exams and operations for thousands of people who had no access to medical care of any kind.
Scott took the position of photojournalist on the ship. He traded in a fancy loft in Manhattan for a bunk bed in a small cabin on a ship. He shared this cabin with roommates, and cockroaches. He gave up VIP tables at all the top restaurants in the city for an "army-style" mess hall, which fed roughly 400 people.
Scott has said that he was "utterly astonished by the poverty" he saw in Africa. He documented the life and human suffering, "often through tears." The lives that these people lead were worse than anything he had ever imagined.
Thousands of people would stand in line and wait to be seen by one of the doctors on the ships. Many of these people were affected by abnormalities that people in the United States were not accustomed to seeing. Scott met and photographed people with huge tumors, cleft lips, bacteria-eaten faces. He also met many people who were blind. Many of these health issues were, in fact, seen in the United States.
The difference was: they were treated in the United States. They were, treatable, if not preventable. Tumors could be caught early and removed. Cleft lips could be corrected during infancy. Clean water could prevent bacteria from eating away flesh. And cataract surgery could help people to see.
While volunteering for Mercy Ships, Scott fell in love with Liberia, a nation on the west coast of Africa that is home to roughly 3.5 million people. The country had no public electricity, no running water, and no sewage system. The people there lived on less than 365 dollars a year. That's less than one dollar a day. Liberia is where Scott put a face to the 1.2 billion people living in poverty around the world.
Back in the States...
After spending 8 months volunteering for Mercy Ships, Scott Harrison left West Africa and returned to the United States. He came back a changed man, however. While on his trip, Scott had decided that he wanted to commit to a life of service. He wanted to affect the lives of those in need for the better.
While in Liberia, Scott learned that 80% of the diseases he encountered were caused by a lack of unsafe water and basic sanitation. That is how he came to the conclusion that the world's lack of clean water was the biggest obstacle for the impoverished.
Scott decided to start his own charity. A charity that would help bring clean water to the people who really needed it. A charity that gave 100% of people's donations directly to the cause.
And so, charity:water was born.
A Little More on Scott...
- While volunteering for Mercy Ships, Scott heard news that his mother, Joan, had suddenly recovered from her numerous health issues. The Harrison family credits their undoubted Christian faith for her "miraculous" recovery.
- On September 26, 2009, Scott Harrison married Viktoria Alexeeva.
- Viktoria Harrison is from St. Petersburg, Russia and is now the Director of Design and Branding for charity:water.
Information courtesy of:
- charity:water
- The New York Times
- Planet Green
- CBS
- webMD
Photos courtesy of:
- Contribute Media
- vikandscottgetmarried.com
- sva.edu
- travelagencyinsurance.com
- radaid.org
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