On March 22nd, we’ll mark the most important day of the year for Water Ambassadors Canada: World Water Day. It’s the 1 day each year when people around the world turn their attention to the water crisis and the 2.2 billion people who lack access to clean water.
Lack of water access means women and girls around the world must spend over 200 million hours every day retrieving drinking water for their families. It also means the deaths of over 700 children under the age of five every day from diseases caused by poor access to clean water and substandard sanitation. As we look to the future, the crisis will only grow more dire. 25% of people will live in countries that can expect to regularly experience severe water shortages by 2050.
World Water Day is our opportunity to tackle these challenges head on. At Water Ambassadors Canada, our mission is Changing Lives with Clean Water, and we know that we can solve this global crisis in our lifetime. Because of you, we have brought clean water to over 24,000 people around the world in the last six months alone.
We plan to carry that momentum into World Water Day by lighting up Canadian landmarks from coast-to-coast in Water Ambassadors’ blue to help bring awareness to the water crisis. From Vancouver City Hall to Newfoundland’s Confederation Building, the CN Tower, the Calgary Tower, and many more in between, Water Ambassadors Canada is helping to lead the awareness campaign.
We’re also working to transform that awareness into action that supports water projects in communities around the world. We’ve set a target to raise $100,000 by midnight on World Water Day through the support of generous donors. Every dollar we raise between now and March 22nd will also be matched by a committed Water Ambassador who has pledged up to $100,000 toward this campaign in matching dollars.
To reach our goal, we’ll be reaching out to our network by phone, social media, email, and print, radio, and television news. We’ll also be launching a new text-to-donate campaign that allows supporters to easily make a $25 donation by cell phone that will be added to your phone bill. Try it out now – text: “WATER” to “45678” to donate $25.
No matter how you contribute – by amplifying social media updates or by making a special World Water Day donation – you can play a big role in addressing the global water crisis and supporting new water projects around the world. Changing Lives with Clean Water has never been easier or more urgent.
A Note from The Field:
By Jeff Merriman, Field Director.
A few weeks ago, I got an email from our friend Jaime who works with us to deliver clean water to families in Guatemala. He and his local team had just installed a new water well and needed to pump a large volume of water for a few hours to remove drilling mud and make sure the water would come out clear. As they did, they encouraged local kids to run through the rushing water to enjoy their first ever water fight.
Clean water is such a luxury in communities like this that summer traditions like water fights, that we’re so used to in Canada, simply don’t happen in places like Guatemala. Water is so precious there that no one would ever consider using it in a water fight – until now.
Helping kids feel like kids is one of the ways Water Ambassadors improves the lives of people who don’t share our access to clean water. Whether it’s our memories of summer water fights, swimming in our countless lakes, or simply enjoying a pint, we often don’t recognize how lucky we are to experience the joys of clean water as Canadians. Thank you for helping us bring that joy to more people around the world as a supporter of Water Ambassadors Canada. We’ll be in touch in the months ahead with more stories about the thousands of people who now or soon will have access to clean water – all because of you.
Our Board
Barry Hart – Chair
Dr. Riley Moynes – Vice Chair
Gord Mount – Secretary/Treasurer
Geri Rodman – Director
George Budd – Director
Robert Positano – Director
William Lam – Director
Our Team
Brian Johns – CEO
Ursula Devolin – Teams & Events
Jeff Merriman – Field & Projects
Alla Mizers – Office Operations
Our Current In-Country Partners
Make a Special Donation for World Water Day
We’ve launched a new text-to-donate campaign that allows supporters to easily make a $25 donation by cell phone that will be added to your phone bill.
Try it now to donate to a clean water project.
Become a Monthly Donor
Introducing The Cistern!
The Cistern is a new monthly donor community of Water Ambassadors like you who are directly funding clean water projects benefiting thousands of people around the world every single month.
Sign up by completing the donation form below and selecting the ‘Monthly Gift Amount’ option. You can also sign up on our website at: https://www.waterambassadorscanada.org/cistern-monthly-giving/
