Many of us have no idea what it's like to be thirsty. We have plenty of water to drink -- even the water in our toilets is clean! Many people around the world don’t have that luxury, and I used to be one of them.

I spent the first four years of my life growing up in rural Ethiopia where our only water source was a pond filled with bacteria and lots of bad things. My stomach was sick every day because of the dirty water I had to drink. It was so bad that my little brother died because of the water we were drinking. I don't think any kid should have to die or be sick from just drinking water, so I want to tell my story so that other people can become aware and do what they can to help.

There is a lot even a kid can do to help other kids around the world have clean water! It makes me happy to give up my birthday and raise money for clean water projects. So far I've raised over $30,000 for charity:water since I've been living in the United States! I've learned that kids can make a big impact too - not just adults. But I can't do it alone.

Would you please think about contributing to my birthday campaign this year? I'd like to raise $5,000, which will give 166 people access to clean water. That's 166 people who won't have to worry about dying or not being able to work or go to school. I think that's pretty cool.

100% of the money will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community we helped. I've been able to see pictures of the communities I've helped get clean water over the years and it's awesome!

Thanks for thinking about helping me reach my goal. It feels so good to help make a difference for other people.