“I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…” Matthew 25:35.

Thank you, Nokomis Heights!

We have just funded our eighth well through Water to Thrive, thanks to your response to our challenge grant. And, we still have some residual for our next well. Since Water to Thrive’s inception, 1,130 water projects have been completed, serving 600,000 people in rural Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.

To date, Nokomis Heights has funded seven wells, each located in Ethiopia. Within a one-kilometer radius of each well (a United Nations reporting standard), it is counted that we have directly affected the lives of 3,900+ people. However, because people beyond the one kilometer radius are likely to use a well also, our impact with our first seven projects is estimated at more than 9,000 lives.  In 2020, despite the pandemic and in response to the Water to Thrive’s “Water Can’t Wait” operations campaign, we responded again with a substantial gift.

What does the funding of a well ($5,000) in Ethiopia through Water to Thrive do for our congregation?

  • It helps us directly impact the lives of rural Ethiopians with the gift of sustainable, clean water.
  • We enable God’s work to be done in a place where we cannot serve directly.
  • We receive the GPS coordinates of the project upon assignment.
  • We receive a completion report including photos of our project.
  • Water to Thrive’s 100% promise assures us that all money raised for water goes to fund water projects; funds for administration are raised separately.

What does a water project do for those who have not had access to clean water?

  • Clean water prevents the #1 cause of sickness and death in those areas: water-borne diseases. Both children and adults are healthier.
  • Women and girls no longer need to walk 4 to 6 hours a day to fetch water from unprotected water sources.
  • Violence against girls and women decreases when they are not forced to walk long distances unprotected.
  • Local access to clean water allows girls to attend school regularly and allows women to have an opportunity to sell handiwork or produce. The family’s economics are improved.
  • Access to clean water helps people actively combat Covid-19. Water to Thrive’s partner organizations in east Africa have been training communities in safe practices related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • The community receives the asset of a well. It prepares for this gift by creating a local water committee responsible for sanitation and hygiene training of all community members, establishing and collecting modest user fees, and overseeing daily well operation, maintenance and repair.

CLEAN WATER CHANGES EVERYTHING. Thank you for making it happen!