"What makes our people different is the action that follows."
"It's not quick love, and it's not cheap love. It's deep love."
"There are a few who fight for water every day. They resist shallow. They find new ways to bring life. New technology. New systems that will eradicate this crisis from history."
"Reaching people through living water in ways that will never leave them thirsty again."
As Water4 moves into our tenth year, I feel so fortunate to be part of a movement - empowered by each one of you - that’s changing the world. I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work, creativity, sacrifice and dedication to the Holy Spirit that have remained at the core of our mission since the very beginning.
In 2008, Water4 started with a dream where the people suffering from the water crisis would be the ones to ultimately solve it without the need for perpetual aid from the outside.
A year later, that dream collided with faith, resolve and ambition in the hearts of a few who refused to accept the status quo, and the Water4 manual drilling kit and the Access 1.2 hand pump were created. Then, in 2014, a continued commitment to our original values gave rise to the social and spiritual cornerstones we call the “Integral Mission” of Water4. Most recently, in 2016, after years of working to make our solution self-sustaining, the NUMA piped water system was born.
"...we started with a dream where the
people suffering from the water crisis
would be the ones to ultimately solve it..."
new water projects providing sustainable safe water
people educated in health and hygiene practices
people deeply engaged with the Gospel
field partners working every day to solve the water crisis
In the last ten years we’ve innovated and added new approaches, but we’ve remained true to our humble beginnings. We’re still committed to local people solving local problems with local resources. We’re still committed to working through the capacity, strength and greatness of ordinary people in Africa to do whatever it takes to see a world where every last person has abundant access to safe water. We’re still committed to doing it all in Jesus’ name because we believe He'll provide the “loaves and fish” necessary to quench physical and spiritual thirst in this world.
I hope you’ll continue to dig deep with Water4 as we work alongside the most heroic people I’ve ever met to tackle total safe water coverage for entire districts in 2018. When that happens, we’ll change the conversation around how to eradicate the water crisis once and for all; showing the rest of the world that total self-sustaining safe water coverage in Africa is more than just a dream.
Matt Hangen
Water4 Managing Director
Burundi
How many times a day do you flush a toilet, wash your hands or take a drink of safe water without even thinking about it? Right now, there are 2.5 billion people across the world who have no access to these basic necessities. Water4 water sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) trainer, Olina Hakizima, thinks about the injustice of this reality every day as she humbly and graciously leads the sanitation and hygiene education program for Water4 in Burundi.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Love changes the world. It breaks chains nothing else can. It fights to free people from bondages that steal life. Ben Liringa is fighting with this love for the lives of his neighbors. Growing up in DRC, Ben suffered from endless waterborne diseases, costing him and his family time, money, education and the lives of loved ones. Waterborne diseases stole opportunity from Ben as a child, but now he’s embracing his opportunity at the frontlines of the fight to end the water crisis once and for all.
Sierra Leone
It takes grit to fight a crisis. The grit that makes beauty out of tragedy. This kind of grit is making the water crisis history in Sierra Leone. Solomon Sesay was born in the Tonkolili district, Sierra Leone, but his childhood was different from most of ours. The Sierra Leone Civil War broke out when Solomon was as a child, taking the lives of both his mother and father. Solomon has continued to fight for restoration in his country. The restoration of safe water.
Answering God's call, Joseph digs deeper. Growing up as a young boy in Malawi, Joseph walked for water every day. Today he fights alongside others to help them end their water crisis. Watch the video above and hear Joseph tell his story.
Driven by the Gospel, Carmen digs deeper. Growing up in Kenya, Carmen saw efforts to solve the water crisis and realized they weren't working. Today she empowers Zambians to bring clean water that lasts. Watch the video and hear Carmen tell her story.
What does it take to change the world? It takes people like Pearl Fisher. Despite her young age, she knew she had a role to play and decided to act. At seven-years-old, Pearl is fighting the water crisis from her community in Santa Rosa, CA. For her seventh birthday, she set a goal to raise $2,000 to build a well. 25 days later, Pearl blew through her goal, raising over $8,000 for safe water. Pearl is a world changer, and we're honored to be part of it!
Manually drilled wells and hand pumps break the cycle of financial loss and death caused by waterborne illnesses, but the vision doesn't stop there. Water4 practices holistic community development that starts with communities investing in their initial water solution. We continue working with village water committees to pave the way for NUMA piped water systems fed by the initial manual well. Every donation today is the catalyst for an exponential transformative impact tomorrow.