{"id":218692,"date":"2023-11-28T09:20:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/?p=218692"},"modified":"2023-11-22T14:32:58","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T19:32:58","slug":"once-you-give-water-they-bring-the-change-the-idea-behind-our-giving-tuesday-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewaterproject.org\/community\/2023\/11\/28\/once-you-give-water-they-bring-the-change-the-idea-behind-our-giving-tuesday-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Once You Give Water, They Bring the Change: The Idea Behind Our Giving Tuesday Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At The Water Project, we talk a lot about how water transforms lives. But it\u2019s hard to convey to our donors just how much we mean it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to water really does change everything. It\u2019s fundamental not just to human life, but to all life<\/a>. Living without it, or without enough of it, makes life extremely difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But once people like you help someone who once lacked water get their own safe, reliable water source? You can only imagine the possibilities. Heck, even I could only imagine them \u2014 until recently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When brainstorming ideas for our upcoming Giving Tuesday campaign way back in June, I asked a question. What if our donors could actually see a few examples of what extraordinary things can happen once they help people gain access to water? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you give clean water, the change starts immediately. With water availability and our hygiene and sanitation trainings that coincide with each project, everyone\u2019s health improves. With better health and reduced water-fetching responsibilities, students can stay in class and focus better, which sets them up for amazing futures and careers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people in sub-Saharan Africa grow their own food (or at least most of it<\/a>), so easier access to water expands and reinvigorates everyone\u2019s kitchen gardens, further improving health. And what they don\u2019t eat, they trade, which helps families save money, both for school fees and for personal development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to water starts a snowball effect of individual and community growth. And donors like you have helped us provide water to hundreds of thousands of people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Giving Tuesday, I wondered how we could ever pinpoint just a few amazing stories to share out of so many. Thankfully, while I was asking this question, we had just hired our fantastic Impact Communication Officers, Jackie and Olivia. You might recognize them from some of the videos we\u2019ve shared over the past few months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackie and Olivia not only had ideas, but thanks to their time as Field Officers working directly with communities, they already had a few stories in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pastor Julius Shamala is a perfect example of how clean water spreads joy, development, and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Julius at the spring right after it was installed in 2018.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Seven years ago, Julius learned about The Water Project when we protected a spring close to his community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was mesmerized with how the spring was protected, and wished the same could be done to his community, because for a long period of time, they [had] been fetching dirty water from [an] unprotected spring,\u201d said Jackie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julius didn\u2019t wait around for us to find him. He called and asked for help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2018, after his spring<\/a> was protected, Julius said: “Out of persistance, this spring has been protected. My friends are on my case because they want their springs protected, too! It’s beautiful and safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julius took his friends\u2019 nudges about their own spring protections very seriously. So seriously, that he made it his personal mission to get all of the springs in the surrounding communities protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was able to introduce more than 100 unprotected springs<\/strong> in his community,\u201d Jackie said, \u201cand they were all protected by The Water Project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Julius didn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat not being enough, he went further and referred the organization to also visit schools [that] lacked access to clean water and proper sanitation,\u201d Jackie said. \u201cMore than 70 schools <\/strong>were able to benefit from The Water Project as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 170 water projects were implemented thanks to Julius bringing them to our attention. But even this wasn\u2019t enough positive change for Julius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHelping his community to have clean water motivated him to start his own school, Nancy Shalom Academy, where some of the children from the community are attending school,\u201d Jackie continued. \u201cThe objective was to ensure that the entire community is enlightened, and every child gets access to quality education, hence reducing levels of illiteracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn his remarks, he confirmed that the schools he assisted have undergone great impact changes. These include better sanitation and hygiene standards, reduced rates of absenteeism, and improved health of students. All this has translated to better academic performance in those schools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe communities are flourishing as a result of accessing clean and safe water,\u201d Jackie concluded. \u201cThe community members can now engage in other development activities without worrying about water. Their living standards have improved significantly.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Julius asking a question during the COVID-19 training we held in his community in 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When we interviewed him now, seven years after we first started our relationship with him, Julius said: \u201cWith access to clean water in the communities and schools, women, children, and men are working together to build a brighter nation and well-defined families. Through this, I have been accepted in the community, and everyone wants to associate with me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can see why Julius\u2019s tireless efforts on behalf of others have made him so popular. And even as we continue to install water points near where Julius lives, he\u2019s always attending the hygiene and sanitation trainings we hold with each project to help his neighbors understand the lessons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment,\u201d Jackie said. \u201cYou create a good future by creating a good present, and that is Pastor Julius Shamala’s desire for his people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s obvious that Julius has fully absorbed the exact message I was hoping to send this Giving Tuesday: that safe, reliable water can sweep change across entire communities, leaving thriving <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To hear from Pastor Julius and from some of the people his influence has helped to flourish, watch Jackie and Olivia\u2019s video profile on him below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n