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    January 23, 2012

Using Ingenuity to Combat Global Water Crisis

   Monaliza Noormohammadi | San Francisco, CA

   The United Nations says there is enough fresh water for everyone on
   earth. Yet nearly 1.6 billion people still face water shortages, due to
   inadequate infrastructure, uneven distribution and wasteful practices.
   There's an organization in California, called [1]Well Done, that is
   working to lessen this global water crisis, by implementing new
   approaches to an old problem.

   Much of the work goes on in Well Done's headquarters building south of
   San Francisco. Designers work to create compelling logos and
   user-friendly web layouts to spread the word on global water shortages.
   The goal: to help thousands of families gain access to clean water.
   Josh To is co-founder and head of development at Well Done, 'A lot of
   times people say you need education, you need sanitation
   infrastructure, roads schools, but without access to clean water like
   how can you do any of the other things?' To questioned.
   Experts say having clean water can lead to greater economic and
   educational opportunities particularly for women who take on most of
   the burden of fetching water from distant sources. Well Done promotes
   well-building in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The non-profit
   organization serves as a conduit -- raising awareness and money, then
   channeling the proceeds to water development organizations that do the
   actual work.

   'We're addressing sort of two facets of the water crisis Gross overuse
   here at home and then non-availability in the developing world,' Jim
   Yoon said. Yoon is head of projects.
   To spotlight high water consumption in the United States, the group
   created a program called Water for Water, in which intense water
   consumers agree to reduce their water usage and send their water bill
   savings to Well Done's clean-water projects.
   Using interactive technology, Well Done also plans to implement a new
   web platform called Future Building. It will allow donors to purchase
   and donate specific hardware
   for well-building. To reduce overall costs, Well Done and its partner
   organizations require villagers who benefit to do most of the manual
   labor.
   'We don't want to be that Western organization that shows up, saves the
   day takes the credit and then heads back and shares a wonderful story,"
   To said. "We're just sharing what we have with them.'
   To and Yoon first met in college. After graduating, they served in a
   church mission to Ghana, where they saw children swallowing malaria
   pills with filthy water.
   'Here we were trying to in some way alleviate their suffering," Yoon
   explained. "Yet the very water they're using to take down this medicine
   is probably making them sick in the first place.'
   Inspired by their experience in Africa, the pair drew on support from
   friends and family to create Well Done in 2010. So far, Well Done has
   completed more than 75 clean water projects that have benefited more
   than 10,000 people. And To and Yoon have set their goals even higher,
   hoping to complete 300 water projects in the year ahead.

References

   1. http://www.welldone.org/