January 31 - Ryan's Well Foundation

In 1998, when Ryan Hreljac was in first grade, he learned from his teacher that people were dying because they didn't have clean water to drink. Ryan decided that raising money for those without access to this basic need was the right thing to do. He worked for four months doing extra chores around his house to earn his first $70. Ryan was just seven years old when his first well was built in 1999 at Angolo Primary School in northern Uganda. To this day, the well continues to serve thousands of people.



Ryan’s determination grew from the $70 collected by doing simple household chores to a Foundation that today has raised millions of dollars and remains committed to bringing clean water and sanitation services to those impacted by the global water and sanitation crisis.  Ryan's Well Foundation was born. 



Ryan remains dedicated to the Foundation and its work. He continues to speak passionately about the need for clean water around the world and has visited over two dozen countries spreading his message. He has made presentations to hundreds of schools, churches and civic clubs, and more than two dozen international conferences and global events including Rotary International and the World Water Forums. Among his many awards and achievements, he is recognized by UNICEF as a Global Youth Leader.



Although Ryan started raising money for water projects in 1998, the Foundation was not formed until 2001. Since then, Ryan’s Well Foundation has helped build over 630 wells and 700 latrines bringing safe water and improved sanitation services to over 705,000 people.



Facts about Water


-884 million people lack access to an improved water supply.
-A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water.
-At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related  disease.
-The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.
-While basic needs vary, the minimum threshold of water use is 20 litres per day. Factoring in bathing and laundry needs would increase this to 50 litres per day.
-Most of the nearly 1 billion people lacking access to clean water live on about 5 litres of water a day. That’s about one tenth of the amount needed to flush a standard toilet.
-A five minute shower using a standard showerhead uses approximately 100 litres of water. Installing a low-flow version would help reduce water usage to 35 litres for the same five minute shower.
-Every day, the global water and sanitation crisis claims the lives of as many children under five to equal that of 16 jumbo jets crashing.
-Over 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation – with nearly half that number living without sanitation facilities at all.

Ryan's Well Foundation is a family of people committed to delivering access to safe water and sanitation as an essential way to improve the lives of people in the developing world. We empower citizens of all ages to take action and effect change in the world.


Wow!  In first grade I was interested in riding my bike and playing with my friends... Ryan, your heart and compassion truly are an INSPIRATION!  



Get Involved:

Donate to Ryan's Well Foundation.

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Current projects needing help.

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Source: http://www.ryanswell.ca/