You & I drink, eat, shower, swim - all thanks to clean water. Now let's make this a reality for someone else.

My story:

In December 2011, I paid my first visit to the country my family had always called “home” — India. I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know that while I would connect with my roots, my observation of environmental disparity on the streets would also spark my passion for sustainability that drives me even today. I passed through a crowded town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, teeming with cardboard homes and stray animals, when a woman and child dressed in rags stumbled towards my car, knocking on the window. They spoke helplessly, begging for water. I felt a pang of guilt; I was unprepared and did not have any. Out of shame, their gazes did not meet mine. I was speechless as I witnessed the family sharing a bottle that they had picked up from the soiled streets with a crippled dog. I remembered that one in nine people around the world did not have access to clean water, yet I was shocked to witness this statistic come to life.

Arriving back in California was eye-opening. The poverty in India starkly contrasted with the prosperity of my suburban neighborhood; the streets were clean, people had roofs over their heads, and though the poor begged for money, potable water was mainly accessible. I realized that a simple vacation to India had awakened my passion for global accessibility to a resource I had always taken for granted.

Now:

If you know me, you probably know that I am very passionate about the environment. It's even a part of my major at Berkeley! In my spare time, I try to educate others on what tidbits I know about sustainable practices, including the importance of water conservation and the assembly of biosand water filters for bacteria filtration. Now, as my 21st birthday approaches, I reflect on how I have lived yet another happy and healthy year while others struggle for common resources in other parts of the world.

Hence, I ask you to contribute any amount (it's tax deductible!) to help further a cause I feel so deeply about. ALL of the money we raise will directly fund clean water projects in developing countries. Even better, charity: water will show us which projects we have funded once they are fully completed (approx. 18 months). That means we will know the exact locations and names of the communities we have benefited.

If you <3 me or <3 water, help me reach my goal. Please donate to my birthday campaign!