My birthday is around the corner and this year I decided neither to accept any presents nor have a big celebration. I am privileged enough to have everything I actually need and thankfully, almost everything I want. So instead, I’m inviting my friends and family to spare the next minute to read the below.

I am turning 25 but so many kids around the world don't even live to see their 5th birthday just because they don't have access to clean, safe drinking water.

The fact that you and I do not see them every day doesn't mean they are not out there. They are; you know it and I know it.

Most of us have never really been thirsty. We've never had to walk five miles to fetch water. We simply turn on the tap, and water comes out. Clean. And that's fine; we're lucky and there's nothing to feel guilty about.
However, let's not ignore the fact that there are 800 million people on the planet who don't have clean water and others who walk for hours every day to reach the nearest source for water; time that keeps them from school, work and taking care of their families. And along their long walk, they're subjected to a greater risk of harassment and sexual assault. You must think that this is terrible. And it is...

But there is worse: the water they have access to after all, is unprotected and likely contaminated. And their bodies are not strong enough to fight the resulting diseases. And they die.

I am not fantasizing about saving the the world or ending the battle for water overnight, but I want to at least help. Because I can, because I care and because the picture of a child smiling 'cause they can have one sip of green water with algae and insect eggs floating on the surface shocks me and makes me shiver. I am sure the same goes for you too.

But we can help change that and there are simple solutions like drilled wells, spring protections and BioSand filters that help provide clean water to communities around the world.

So I am inviting you to join me if you wish and help fund these solutions. 100% of every dollar you donate to my birthday campaign will be used to build clean water projects in developing countries. charity: water funds their operating costs separately through a group of private donors, so 100% of all public donations will go directly to people in need.

charity: water will show us exactly which projects we funded once they've been fully completed (which takes about 18 months). That means we'll know the locations and names of the communities we helped.

You can find proof on previous projects here http://www.charitywater.org/projects/map/
and information about how mycharity: water works here http://www.charitywater.org/projects/d2p/

You can donate $25 (my age in dollars) or just $5 or as much as you wish really. I would be very happy just to see you contributing to the cause -no matter what the amount is. Think of it as buying a bottle of water as a gift; although it might probably be of insignificant cost for you, it means the whole world to someone else.

Thank you.
Evina