Living in Ukraine has yet to answer the big questions I was hoping it would - What should I do with my life? How can I make an impact? - but a mere six months into Peace Corps service it has begun to answer one I didn't realize I was asking - What can I live without?

Peanut butter, street lights, Dr. Pepper, washers and dryers, riding in cars, physical personal space, Grey's Anatomy, microwaves, streets without potholes, centralized heating, vegetable peelers, daily showers, a stocked refrigerator...all these and more come to mind, both the serious and frivolous.

As weird as it sounds, other than friends and family, the thing I consistently miss is ice water. In a country where very few people drink water [at all] due to the poor water quality from the tap, I have a new appreciation for something most people never think about.

...but my water is still clear. This year, I'm giving up my birthday to help people get a chance to have clean, clear drinking water.

I'm turning 23 years old, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $23 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater wells for people in developing nations.

A billion people in the world are living without clean water - but how much are they really living? Millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 45,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still walk hours each day to get dirty water to give to their families.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need that it would cost you double to ship overseas; it's to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

Please join me.

please note: Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.