Every day, 1,400 kids under the age of 5 die from water-related illnesses.

Hey folks, I'm turning 30 in a few weeks. I'm donating my birthday (small offering) to Charity Water. My goal is to raise $500 dollars (or much more) towards funding a water project in a country where clean water would be the biggest luxury in life.

So, if you've always wanted to get me a gift and never followed through (sigh), it's okay, this is your chance. Since I'm turning 30, I'd love to see my friends match my age in donations. Please, read about this organization, their business model, and impact they are having by providing lasting and permanent water solutions.

Diseases from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

90% of the 30,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are in children under five years old. The WHO reports that over 3.6% of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply, sanitation, and hygiene.

I hope these facts and those you will encounter by checking out Charity Water's website, will not sit well with you, and move you to action. Knowing that will make this birthday extra special for this aging man.

"There are no hopeless situations; There are only men who have grown hopeless about them" - Clare Boothe