For women in the Sahel, the first step out of poverty begins with clean water. We can help!

During the hotter part of the year, the average temperature in the Sahel region of West Africa is more than 110 degrees. For women here, not having access to clean water means hours of painful and exhausting work. Many walk miles each day just to reach the 100-year-old hole in the ground where they collect water. And they make that trip four or five times. The water is contaminated and has to be pulled up by hand, one bucket at a time.

The homemade rope burns their hands; it causes bleeding and leaves callouses — even scars. And sometimes the rope breaks, causing women to fall into the wells. But we can change all of that! We can bring solar powered pumps into communities and pipe water to tap stands right next to these women’s homes. We can bring time, energy and a better future to 100,000 people in Mali and Niger.

I'm continuing something I started years ago by giving up my birthday. And I challenge you to help me meet my goal this year and then to do the same for yours!

Also, if I meet my $1000 goal by the end of September, I will participate in a fun, popular "water-related surprise". So help me out by getting your friends and family to donate too!

100% of everything we raise will directly fund water projects. When those projects are finished, charity: water will send us proof in pictures and GPS coordinates, so we can see the actual people and communities we impacted.