THE SOURCE L I F E WAT E R N E W S L E T T E R | S P R I N G 2 0 1 9
Love that Moves IN THIS ISSUE: YOUR IMPACT: OVER 150,000 PEOPLE SERVED A COMMUNITY DIGS A ROAD FOR CLEAN WATER S HOWING CHRIST’S LOVE TO STUDENTS IN UGANDA
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…” - Isaiah 55:1
L ET T ER FROM T H E CEO “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” - Matthew 25:40 Each year, I get to spend time in remote villages where we serve. What I see is this: communities working to improve
L I F E WAT E R is a top-rated Christian non-
profit working with you to end the global water and sanitation crisis. Since 1977, we have served more than 2.5 million people in 40+ countries with life-saving clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
the lives of their children, people—often for the first time—experiencing the fullness of Christ, and abundant, safe water serving thousands. What incredible change you are making possible. Love is on the move, transforming life for families in extreme poverty,
PR E S I DE N T/C E O
Justin Narducci ceo@lifewater.org V IC E PR E S I DE N T OF PH I L A N T H ROP Y
and bringing change that will last for generations to come.
Christine Zurbach christine@lifewater.org
In fact, our latest results show a 98% decrease in instances
DI R E C T OR OF D ONOR R E L AT IONS
of diarrhea among families in Ethiopia. Diarrhea is an illness caused by unsafe water and the second leading cause of death in children worldwide. That is an
Daren Wendell daren@lifewater.org
astounding turnaround and new hope for the future.
R EGIONA L DIR ECTOR OF DONOR R EL ATIONS, W EST COA ST
Love is literally moving in communities like Shote
Sean Martin sean@lifewater.org
and Gisho, who hand-dug two miles of road from the mountainside so Lifewater could enter their villages
DONOR R EL ATIONS COOR DINATOR
with a truck of supplies. Love is moving in Lifewater
Tyson Babayco tyson@lifewater.org
supporters like our Board Chairman, Doug Headrick, who has dedicated much of his life to serving and loving those living in extreme poverty. I hope you’ll take a moment to read his story on page six. And of course, love is moving in your own homes, giving of yourself so that children and their families thirst no more. Glad to serve with you,
S TAY C ON N E C T E D
75 Zaca Lane Suite 100 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-541-6634 info@lifewater.org lifewater.org L E AV E A L E G AC Y. To speak with someone about including Lifewater in your will or bequests, contact Christine Zurbach. christine@lifewater.org Photography by David Uttley and Tyler Wohlford. Paper donated by Spicers Paper. Printing discounted
Justin Narducci President/CEO Lifewater International
by O’Neil Printing.
Lasting Impact Your giving is making a difference in the lives of thousands of families and children in extreme poverty. Thank you!
151,471 People Served (+31%)
421
113
Active Village Water Projects (+38%)
Certified Healthy Villages (+23%)
FINA NCI A L S $5.7
million
SUPPORT ER S
98%
Water Point Sustainability
“I am deeply encouraged by how Lifewater International has taken
$5.4
million
$5.4
million
the principles in When Helping
4233 $4.1
3802
million
Hurts and applied them to create a relational, long-term, asset-based, Christian clean-water charity.” B R I A N F I KKE RT
GIVING EXPENSES
20 18
GIVING EXPENSES
2017
2018
2017
S U PPO RT E R S
co-author of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself
All financial and program information current as of 31 December 2018. Ministry partnership information is tracked internally and can only be shared discretely due to its sensitive nature. Data current at time of printing. Visit lifewater.org/projects for an up-to-date list of projects needing funding.
A V I L L AG E B U I L D S A R OA D F O R C L E A N WAT E R
DETERMINED TO RISE How a Community Dug its Way to Progress
Community members on the road they built
BY WORKING TOGETHER, TWO COMMUNITIES MADE CLEAN WATER A REALITY Kokosa, Ethiopia is a pastoral area,
and they also developed an ability to
surrounded by rolling green hills, grazing
work together and unify; it brought the
cows, and tended by the rough hands of
community together.”
those who work the land. When they had the opportunity to have abundant, clean water, families worked side by side every day until the road was complete.
When the road and piping were completed,
Getting to villages like Shote and Gisho in
Lifewater’s engineers customized a
Kokosa is a challenge. It’s one of the reasons
system to provide clean water from their
these communities were selected—they
previously unsafe spring and ensured the
are remote villages with significant need,
piping led to the tap stands in their village.
and they’ve received little to no help from other organizations or the government. When members of the community heard that Lifewater was having trouble accessing the village with the truck of construction supplies, they decided they’d build a road—with their own bare hands. Using pickaxes and shovels, men, women, and children chipped away at the
A community’s commitment to their own progress is what makes that progress last. “God came to us and changed our suffering through sending Lifewater to our community,” Buja Bedha said. “It tremendously changed our lives from darkness and hopelessness to a hopeful and bright one.”
rocks and into the hillsides. For two long
Today, village-elected water committee
months, they dug and lifted and dreamt
members collect monthly maintenance
of their new water source.
fees to be used when repairs are
Together, they dug nearly two miles of road. When the truck came, they carried large rocks, concrete, and sand to the places— like the steep uphill spring—where no road could be built. The materials amounted to 8 tons of sand, 32 tons of SA FE WATER Community members gather joyfully around their new safe water source.
KOKOSA , Ethiopia
stone and 108 bags of cement. Lifewater WASH Engineer Sarah Young said, “It made a huge difference [for us],
eventually needed. Collections are roughly 35 cents a month, an amount that’s much less than what they were paying for treatment of waterborne illnesses. Because the communities of Shote and Gisho worked together, the future is bright. YOU CAN HELP OTHER VILLAGES LIKE SHOTE AND GISHO GET SAFE WATER. LIFEWATER.ORG/ETHIOPIA
Lifewater Spring 2019 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
CAMBODIA
W H E E L S 4 WAT E R R I D E R S C Y C L I N G F O R S A F E WAT E R
Ride for Water. Ride for Hope. DOUG HE A DR ICK Join Doug (center) in January 2020 on a ride for clean water through Cambodia
LIFEWATER BOARD CHAIRMAN LAUNCHES CYCLING ADVENTURE IN CAMBODIA
Doug Headrick is the General Manager
years of service later, Doug launched the
of a regional water agency in Southern
Climb for Clean Water up Mt. Kilimanjaro.
California and an engineer. He’s leading a
With him were 15 climbers inspired by
fundraising bike ride through Cambodia,
his vision to raise funds for safe water;
and he wants you to join him.
together, they served 16 villages.
“Being in a village when they celebrate their new water supply is something otherworldly. The singing and the dancing.... the joy that comes from knowing that children are no longer going to be sick because of unsafe water,” Doug said.
“It’s adventure with purpose.” – Doug Now, the longtime Lifewater supporter and Board Chairman has come up with his next adventure—the Ride for Clean Water in Cambodia—and he’d like to take 14 people with him. Each person will ride from Angkor Wat to the Gulf of Thailand
Fifteen years ago, Doug was searching
and will fund an entire village water
for a Christian nonprofit providing safe
project in Cambodia.
water in developing countries, something he was passionate about and eager to join. He researched and prayed and nothing seemed to present itself. “One day, I went to church and in the back was a big poster board for Lifewater,” he said. “[Lifewater’s] Chief Engineer was a
“You will know exactly the names and the faces of some of the people that your efforts are helping,” Doug said. Please consider joining Doug on this next life-changing trip and give lasting, safe water to many in Cambodia.
member of our church!” In just a couple of months, Doug was interviewing to be a volunteer. Six different countries and over a dozen Lifewater Spring 2019 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
JOIN THE RIDE FOR CLEAN WATER JANUARY 2020 LIFEWATER.ORG/W4WCAMBODIA
M AY U G E , Uganda
EMM A W ITH THE CHILDR EN OF BUSA A L A PR IM A RY SCHOOL , UGA NDA
Love in Both Big and Small Things “Whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” M AT TH E W 1 8:4 -5
Service means showing the love of Jesus
Waechter, Lifewater’s Deputy Director of
in everything that we do, from large-
Programs, recalled this about Emma.
scale water projects to the small actions and relationships in between.
“He sat at an empty table and it didn’t take long for the table to fill with children
In the Mayuge district of Uganda,
who clearly knew and loved him,” Julie
generous donors funded safe bathrooms,
said. “Then, as other activities were going
a well, and two rainwater harvesting
on, he quietly took out nail clippers and
tanks for Busaala Primary School. It has
began clipping their fingernails, and they
transformed life for students.
were all so happy that they formed a line
Farouk, a student leader, said, “We can drink this water without worrying about falling sick...we are so grateful!” Before wells can be built, many small but significant things must happen. Staff
CHILDR EN IN UGA NDA Children are healthier now with clean water and hygiene.
HOW ONE STAFF MEMBER SERVES THE VULNERABLE
to make sure they weren’t missed.” At schools, clipping nails is advised for health because germs can be difficult for children to wash away from under their nails. But, many homes and schools don’t have nail clippers.
begin a months’ long process to build
Emma’s acts of kindness show Christ’s
relationships with teachers and students,
love to every student at Busaala Primary,
and to teach healthy habits that help
so each child knows they are loved by
prevent the spread of disease. It is a labor
God.
of love each day. Emmanuel “Emma” Kassajja is Lifewater’s Sanitation and Hygiene Coordinator who oversees the progress at Busaala Primary. Upon a routine visit to the school, Julie
SEVEN VILLAGES IN UGANDA NEED YOUR SUPPORT TODAY. LEARN MORE: LIFEWATER.ORG/UGANDA
Lifewater Spring 2019 Newsletter LI F E WAT E R .O R G
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JUNE 2020
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September 29, 2019
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