Clean Water out of Thin Air /// Facebook Friends for charity:water

If you're like me, you don't spend too much time thinking about water.

It's everywhere we go.

When we're thirsty, we flip a handle or push a button. When we're dirty, we twist a shower knob. When our garden needs watering, when our pasta needs to be boiled, when we use the bathroom - water's just there for the taking.

But for a 1.1 billion people on the planet, it's not. Millions of women and children have to walk hours each day to get water from muddy ponds and rivers (and much of that water is infested with parasites and leeches). In fact, 80% of all diseases in the world are caused by unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% are children under 5 years old.

It is for this reason that I took the bet that we (meaning the 1100 people that call me "friend" on Facebook) can raise $5000 in only 90 days (ending on Thanksgiving Day) to support the construction of one clean water well in a village halfway around the world. Honestly, I don't know if this is crazy optimism or ignorance, but I know that I am friends with some of the greatest, most generous people on the planet. On top of that, I know that they are some of the most creative and competitive, so when you face a challenge, you will find a way to beat it. The coolest thought is that 18 months from now that a community of people somewhere in the world will drink clean water out of a well that we (all of us) built for them ... seemingly out of thin air ... using only the power of this thing called Facebook.

So how exactly does a clean water well get built? That is where my buddy, Scott Harrison, and his great organization, charity: water comes in. (Check them out at www.charitywater.org ). charity: water is a driven, wildly creative, non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. They give 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Since charity: was founded and began activity in August 2006, they have funded the construction of more than 1,247 wells that, when completed, will provide clean drinking water to 650,000 people. Even better, when projects are complete, every dollar is tied to a specific village and all the built wells are posted on Google Earth so that there is visible evidence where that money went.

Watch this video ( http://vimeo.com/6202666 ) to meet Scott and hear the charity: water story.

Together, we can make a dent in the global water crisis. I hope you'll consider helping. Five dollars a person will do it. I know some wont give (especially since a bunch of my friends are high schoolers) so those of you that feel led to give more will certainly help. Some of you will give big and some of you will give small(er). Everything helps. Trust me. Also, let me ask you to do two things?

1) Get creative. Some have already said that they are going to do something to raise money. It might be a sweep of the house for stuff to sell on Ebay, passing the hat at a Saturday football game, or skipping a week of Starbucks or eating lunch out to give that money to the cause.

2) Use your own Facebook Status to pump YOUR friends into this challenge. Cut-and-paste the status below to point them there:

"I'm joining a friend of mine in trying to raise $5000 in 90 days to build a clean water well for a village in Africa using only connections on Facebook. Would love for you to help us too? more details here... http://mycharitywater.org/water ... "

How do you give? Simply click the blue DONATE TO MY CAMPAIGN button in the middle of this page and donate online via credit card. It is totally safe, tax-deductible, and money goes directly to charity: water (not me)! You can keep checking back on this page to see how progress is going.

Thank you guys for helping to create clean water out of thin air.

Billy