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July 10, 2012
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Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith get wise to water.

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Everyone was anxious, anticipating. The charity: water team, hundreds of hopeful locals, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith.

We all watched as the first charity: water rig, Yellow Thunder, and the drilling team from our partners at Relief Society of Tigray (REST), prepared to break ground. We watched because we were waiting for the people of Meago Village to get their first clean water. Located in Northern Ethiopia, most of the people here were used to walking three hours for water.

Wait, why were two American superstars with us at a drill in Ethiopia?

Will and Jada

Because in 2010, Jada and Will gave up their birthdays for charity: water. They inspired thousands of others to raise money over the course of a year and promised to bring the top fundraisers on this trip.

Last Friday, Jada and Will joined Matt Hall and Dr. John Nosti from The Smile Generation and Cameron and Suzanne Moll of Authentic Jobs, in Ethiopia. Longtime charity: water supporters and fundraisers, The Smile Generation and Authentic Jobs together raised more than $95,000 as a part of Jada and Will’s Birthday Contest. 100% of the money they donated helped fund the purchase of two drilling rig fleets for the 2011 September Campaign.

Yellow Thunder

Now, in Meago Village, they got to see exactly where their money went. In less than three minutes, Yellow Thunder hit its target, and a geyser of water burst from the ground.

Soon, more than 400 people here will have access to clean water. No more three-hour walks. No more dirty drinking water. Children can go back to school. Women can start earning income for their families. Water will change everything for this community.

And we have our dedicated supporters to thank:

Everyone who gave during the 2011 September Campaign, everyone who fundraised for the Smiths’ Birthday Contest. And of course, extra special gratitude to Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith for their graciousness and generosity, and to the dedication of The Smile Generation and Authentic Jobs. Life here just got a little better because of you.

Join Jada and Will.
Give up your next birthday for clean water by asking for donations instead of gifts. 100% of the money you raise goes to build water projects, and when the work is complete, we’ll prove each project you helped fund with photos and GPS coordinates. You’ll see how your birthday changed lives.

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June 21, 2012
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Introducing… Yellow Thunder!

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Thousands of you joined us last September and helped fund our first drilling rig. Then, in March, we were thrilled to share with you that the rig drilled its first well in Ethiopia! At charity: water, we’re big on showing impact, whether it’s through proving completed water projects with photos + GPS or sharing stories from the field on our blog.

Now, you can follow the rig’s day-to-day progress and check its location via Twitter.

drilling rig
follow it on a map
follow it on Twitter

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April 30, 2012
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Building a well is the easy part.

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At charity: water, we know that building a water project is the easy part. Keeping clean water flowing over time, however, is a complex business that requires money, training and innovative thinking. It’s something we’ve always been committed to.

In some cases, up to 30% of the cost of a charity: water project goes into training and educating the community about how to take care of the well long after we’re gone.

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April 25, 2012
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from the field: at REST in Ethiopia

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REST offices in Tigray

Our Water Programs Officer, Christy Scazzerro, flew out to Ethiopia for a week-long work session with our local partners A Glimmer of Hope and the Relief Society of Tigray. On a sunny Saturday, 20 people piled up into this conference room to brainstorm solutions to the many complexities and intricate details that go along with working in remote areas. The candy wrappers around Christy’s laptop let us know she was working hard.

Here’s a note from Christy:

Good afternoon from Mekelle!

You might be thinking — what can you possibly get done in a meeting with this many people?

In Ethiopia, decision making happens first through open dialogue, a lot of (healthy) arguing and then finally consensus. At REST, subordinates, supervisors and department heads have to be in agreement or we can’t move forward. This is why reps from Finance, Planning and Implementation are usually involved in every meeting. It’s also why we might stay on a single issue for a few hours – until we reach consensus up and down the line.

It’s been a productive week delving into new processes, reviewing operations and planning for 2012 and 2013.

Tomorrow we’ll drive to Rig #1 and sticker it up with campaigner names! Then a couple more days in the office before heading back to NYC.

See you all soon!

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April 10, 2012
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One Day Without Shoes.

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TOMS is celebrating One Day Without Shoes.
So… take ‘em off!

Today, our friends at TOMS asked everyone they knew to kick off their heels or sneakers to help spread awareness about millions of children who live without proper footwear every day. We’ve always supported TOMS’ work, and today is no different.

Check out the campaign here »

charity: water + TOMS.

Remember when we launched our first-edition water project shoe with TOMS in spring of 2010? $5 from every sale of shoes went to fund a water project in Ethiopia. We sold out in weeks and raised enough money to fund an entire well for a community in rural Ethiopia called Sekura.

Late last year, the charity: water team visited Sekura Village… see the impact of your shoe purchase:

Learn more about our partnership with TOMS here >

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