On November 21st, I'm turning eighteen. Recently I found out millions of people don't even live to see their 5th birthday. Why? Because they don't have access to clean, safe drinking water, something you and I have always taken for granted. You just turn on the tap and it appears - simple as that.

A billion people in our world (to put this in perspective, Canadians, there are only 33 million of us) 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.

I witnessed this first-hand when I participated in a volunteer trip to Kenya in March 2010, building schoolhouses in a small village called Sikirar. One of my fondest memories from the trip was the Water Walk with the mamas. These women were of an unbelievable calibre. They and their young children (many of whom attended the school we were working on) would walk several kilometres every day to fetch water from a dirty, stagnant pond. Some of the children were carrying 20-litre jugs that I imagine must have weighed as much as they did, if not more. On one day of our trip, we had the opportunity to experience this small part of their daily lives and help carry water jugs back, strapped against our foreheads, one step at a time.

Despite their lack of basic resources, this was one of the most loving and welcoming communities that I have ever met. They always had smiles on their faces; but they deserve a better reason to smile.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need. It is to give clean and safe drinking water to people all around the world like those I was blessed to meet in Kenya.

I have chosen charity:water because, due to the organization's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" (with photos of the community) and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete. If you're interested in seeing how the money is used, please feel free to click the tab above, "What Can $500 Do?".

My goal this year is to raise $500, which is enough money to give clean water to 25 people. The deadline for donations extends well past my birthday to December 31st, when money is sent out into the field so construction and drilling can begin.

Please consider helping me. Any donation, whether big or small (I'm a student so I understand!), truly does still make a difference. Make yourself a part of this wonderful project!

Love and thanks,
Yashoda