The+THIRST+Project





NGO Representatives
Andrew Huang Paul Stockdill

NGO Overview, Mission, and Purpose: What We Are About and Who We Help"
Almost 1 Billion on our planet don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water and proper sanitation. That’s one in every eight of us. 4,400 children die every day from diseases caused by contaminated water. That’s huge. That’s approximately one child every 15 seconds. 80% of all global diseases are water-borne and result from drinking contaminated water. These diseases kill more than 2.2 million people every year. The average distance a woman walks to collect water is 3.75 miles. The task of water-collecting falls on young girls, leaving them no time or energy for school. Without an education, it is nearly impossible to break the cycle of poverty. Lack of access to water prevents every other element of community development from taking place effectively. Water empowers agriculture, education and micro-finance. Without water, there is no life. Most people aren’t aware of this situation at all, or simply don’t know just how grave it is. What’s worst is that the water is there. It’s right below the ground, but for most communities in these developing nations, they simply can’t reach it because they can’t afford to drill down to it. Water is a human right! Together, we can raise awareness and build wells. It starts with us. It starts with you.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OF WATER PROJECTS Once projects are identified for presentation, the communication structure between the organization’s respective departments should function as follows (Departments denoted by bracket [ ]): 1.) Identifying the Years’ projects. [Project Development] 2.) Communicate identified projects (made available to staff and public). [Project Development] 3.) Identify Support. [Advancement] 4.) Cultivate Relationships [Advancement] 5.) Solicit Support [Advancement] 6.) ACCOUNTING gives WEEKLY donation report to ADVANCEMENT & PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. [Accounting] 7.) Acknowledge Gifts. [Advancement] 8.) PROJECT DEVELOPMENT notifies ADVANCEMENT when sufficient funds are available and there is intent to release. [Project Development] 9.) ADVANCEMENT communicates to donors and supporters- (Once/Month via Letters of Acknowledgement, Phone, Email, Newsletters and Meetings). [Advancement] 10.) Release of funds to drilling partners for completion. [Project Development] 11.) Notification from ACCOUNTING to ADVANCEMENT. [Accounting] 12.) Notification of public of funds released. [Advancement] 13.) Partners notify The Thirst Project of project completion – report to include agreed upon media (ie. Photos, Video, GPS, etc.). 14.) The Thirst Project ADVANCEMENT and MARKETING notifies public. This should maintain healthy and functional communication between the Project Development Department and Advancement Department and help to tie “Projects to Partners” and “Dollars to Projects.”

"The thirst is real." If you are thirsty we will quench you.

NGO "Bottom Line": How Me Make an Impact
Water. Water is the problem. Water is the solution. It might not cost as much to build and maintain a freshwater well as you think. The cost to build a freshwater well in the developing nations we work in ranges from between $7,800 in Uganda to $20,000 in Kenya. That means an entire COMMUNITY of people's lives can be forever saved for as little as $7.8K!! All we have to do is reach the water that already exists in aquifers usually only 100-300 feet underground. One well can provide up to 500 people with clean water indefinitely. One well can save lives. When you bring safe water into a community, disease consistently drops by upwards to 88% nearly overnight! Child mortality drops by nearly 99% almost overnight! The solution is too simple and the victory points are too easily attainable for us to continue to ignore the #1 killer of children globally. The solution is water. The solution is us. The solution is YOU. Interested in learning more details about how we do? Download and check out [|The Thirst Project's Standards for Implementing Water Projects]

Water Project Life Cycle The following are the steps in The Thirst Project’s life cycle of completing a water project (though the general drilling and construction of the borehole and well are denoted by asterisks, the numbered steps outline only those measures specifically relevant to the value of “sustainability”): 1.) Identify and Qualify a Community in Need The Thirst Project Team employs nationals as “Community Development Officers” on the ground in every country the organization works in to manage relationships with drillers and communities, and to oversee the implementation of all projects. These Community Development Officers collect and compile Assessments on all communities that The Thirst Project works in. Assessments must include the following data: -What is the Community Name? -What are the GPS Coordinates of the Community? -What is the Population of the Community? -How many homesteads in the Community? -What is the Current Water Source? (ex. Pond? Stream? River?) -What is the Distance from the Community to the Current Water Source (In either Miles or Kilometers.) -What Water-Related Illnesses has the Community dealt with in the Past? (Cholera? Schistosomiasis? Extreme/Fatal Diarrhea?) -Have there been any Water-Related Deaths in the Community in the past 5 years? If yes, how many? Based on the results of these Assessments, the Water Project Technical Board determines whether a submitted Community qualifies for intervention or not. If they do, the organization proceeds to the next step in the life cycle of completing a water project. 2.) Sample Area Wells Prior to Surveying approved Communities that qualify for intervention to determine the best location to drill, The Thirst Project must sample other existing wells in the areas the organization is contemplating installing a water supply and test those samples for any naturally occurring contaminants (i.e. microorganisms, major ions, fluoride and trace elements) that could cause future health problems for the Communities the organization looks to serve. If there are problematic contaminants discovered, the Water Project Technical Board will determine the best course of action to consider if any modifications need to be made during the construction process, or if any preparations need to be made to have materials on-hand before the new wells are constructed, to treat them when they are. 3.) Complete Hydrogeology Surveys The Drillers assigned to approved Communities use Hydrogeology Surveys to first assess the water table and aquifer of the region in which the organization looks to build, so as to assure the well installed is appropriate and will not overdraft the aquifer and destroy it before the water table has time to replenish when during rainy times. In addition to protecting the aquifer, this ensures that the Community always has an adequate supply to meet the needs of the population. 4.) Perform Pump Tests At this point, the Drilling Team inserts a submergible pump into the freshly drilled borehole and pumps for 8-hours straight. This allows the organization to assess the yield of the borehole to ensure that the water supply is adequate to meet the needs of the Community. 5.) Perform Water Quality Tests The Thirst Project’s Drilling Partners then collect samples from the new borehole and ship them to certified laboratories for “water quality” testing. Clear water is not necessarily safe water. There are many naturally occurring contaminants (i.e. microorganisms, major ions, fluoride and trace elements) that can seriously harm an individual’s health and quality of life. Skeletal fluorosis, for example, is a serious health problem related to excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones that causes serious deformities in the bone structure and making them extremely weak and brittle. All projects must meet AWWA A100 Standards. (Some water sometimes might be better than no water.) 6.) Engage the Local Community The Thirst Project must always involve local Communities in its water well projects. Community involvement is a critical component to well sustainability. If an organization puts a water-well into a village without community participation and contribution (financial or sweat-equity), then sustainability, the effectiveness and the benefit of that water well is highly questionable. Each Community must either contribute financially to the project in some way (feeding drillers/collecting to cover fuel costs, etc.), or they must contribute sweat-equity to the project in some way (clearing the bushes from the Surveyed and selected site, helping the drillers trench and pour concrete, etc.). This is critical, because it creates a sense of ownership over the project, rather than The Thirst Project just going into Communities and giving stuff away. (We know this to be one of the most critical component for ensuring that Communities are committed to maintaining wells after The Thirst Project has left, because they have a personal investment in them.) 7.) Form Water Committees The Thirst Project must work with community leadership to form “Water Committees” in each Community that they build a well in. Water Committees are vital to effective water projects and Community Development. These Committees are formed to both manage water resources and promote hygiene within the community. Members are trained in business management, pump maintenance and repair, hygiene and sanitation, trachoma control and prevention, environmental and natural resource management. Further, women are represented equally on these committees, which begins to engender a more equitable position for women in their community. 8.) Complete Sanitation & Hygiene Training The organization pairs sanitation facilities (i.e., latrines) and hygiene education (hand-washing training, etc.) with the provision of clean water. 88% of diseases in the developing world are water-related. The majority of health benefits of clean water (i.e. reduction in diarrheal rates) are only realized with accompanied with good sanitation and hygiene education.
 * At this point, the drilling team drills the borehole, installs the casings, cements around the casings, and trenches to create the foundation of the base.***
 * At this point, the drilling team pours the cement to complete the construction of the base, installs the hand pump, installs any necessary filters or treatments based on Water Quality Test Results, and constructs fencing around the well to keep animals away from it.***

Quench fer days

NGO Organization Details and Location: Headquarters and Global Outreach
The Thirst Project Seth Maxwell 3611 Motor Avenue Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90034

WATER PROJECT TECHNICAL BOARD All of The Thirst Project’s implementing activity is overseen and managed by the organization’s Water Project Technical Board. This group of five individuals is made up of leading experts in the field of water and sustainability (civil engineers & hydrogeologists). The Water Project Technical Board meets Quarterly to review and approve the selection of upcoming projects to be implemented by the organization in the coming Quarter. The Board reviews and approves Site Assessments, Quotes, and Planned Action before a project is funded. After projects are complete, they review Completed Reports, Pump Tests, and Water Quality Tests for each site.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Under the direction of the Water Project Technical Board, The Thirst Project utilizes a GIS-based Project Management System that allows for the tracking of all completed water well projects, as well as in-process projects that have been approved by the Board and are under development. The Thirst Project Team must collect and continually update background information on Water Quality Issues for each country the organization is active in.

NGO Job Openings: Who, Why, Where, When, and for How Much?
SCHOOL TOURS

Our School Tours are the biggest local program we have and it keeps growing. This nation-wide initiative has already reached hundreds of thousands of students! With such great momentum behind this program, we’re excited to continue to reach new students with the message of the global water crisis. We travel the country bringing live, on-campus, “Assembly-styled” events to students all over the United States. Our events are strategically designed to use highly sensory, tactile creative elements, video, and live speaking that take students through the journey of the water crisis, leading to tangible calls to action that empower and equip schools to make a real difference. It’s amazing what our fellow students are doing and we’re so excited to be leading the way. Is YOUR school a stop on the Tour? To make it happen, E-mail info@ThirstProject.org to put in a request and learn how to bring The Thirst Project to your town today!

VOLUNTEER We don’t do what we do without support. We have an AMAZING volunteer team who are involved in every aspect of the organization from planning events to serving in the office and representing Thirst through marketing efforts and raising funds. We’d love to have you as a member of our team. Get plugged in and connect with a group that is talented, giving, and loves to have fun! Sign up to volunteer today!

Why You Should Join Us...
“ Love requires action.” We’re not just about feeling good, we’re about doing good. Awareness, hype and excitement are great, but only if they result in lives changed. We believe everyone has the ability to do something and make an impact in this issue, no matter how young or old. We’ve seen power in low-level donations in large numbers, students and youth rallying together, volunteers uniting in compassion and corporate sponsors giving radically. Now it’s YOUR turn! Give: Compassion is more powerful than sacrifice.

Our NGO Website
http://www.thirstproject.org/