“For I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink."

The water crisis is big. And because there’s so much to do, sometimes we forget to celebrate what’s already done. In this report we pause to do just that.

We celebrate dirt under fingernails.
We celebrate God's mission to love neighbor as self.
We celebrate the ties that bind teams to the communities they serve.
And we celebrate exceptional men and women who are mobilizing to end their own water crisis once and for all.
A Well is just a start A Note From Our Founders

At Water4, we didn't have it all figured out before we started. But we wanted to help end the world water crisis, and we thought we had a good idea, and so nine years ago we decided to act. Since then, every ounce of transformation that’s taken place has been thanks to the God-given tenacity of the 350 African entrepreneurs that we’re now privileged to partner with.

In 2016 that transformation went deeper than ever before. Water4 teams carved out more than six full miles of African soil — one seven-inch auger at a time — to bring clean water to 172,854 people. Team members also engrained themselves deeply into the communities they served, discipling, training and leading men and women to end their own crisis.

In this report, we raise a glass of clean water to our teams all over the world, celebrating:

690

new water projects providing sustainable clean water

9,419

people educated in health and hygiene practices

825

days of training in sustainability, & personal & spiritual growth

16

nations being deeply transformed from the inside out

Most of you will likely never set foot in Africa, but — just like we did nine years ago — you’ve made a decision to act anyway, and to join us in this God-given calling to introduce tools and seed capital to the right people, in the right places, at the right time, so that in their lifetime they can build a world without death from dirty water.

From all of us at Water4, thank you for your tenacious generosity.

Richard and Terri Greenly
Water4 Co-founders

Celebrating Champions

Every day, champions in another hemisphere punch holes in a continent you may never set foot on so the people in their communities might know the simple act of drinking a cup of clean water. Here are some of their stories.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel Odong 

 Uganda

Joseph

Joseph Faison

 Malawi

David

David Afaya

 Togo

A Well is just a start Infographic Text
Numbers by Country

Country Title

XX

Active Drill Teams

XX

Water Projects

XXXX

Lives Changed

XXXX

Average Well Cost
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Fight for the Forgotten

Africa’s greatest asset is her people. We're proud to partner with Joseph, Carmen and Christelle as they dig deep to fight the water crisis in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda.

Building a Network

When well drillers connect through technology — sharing photos and videos from the field, leveraging their combined knowledge-base, and encouraging one another — more lives are saved.

Practicing Stewardship

When new business owners understand how to manage their finances and re-invest profits into their business, they experience freedom — to serve more communities and end the cycle of poverty.

Making Disciples

When drill teams engage a community with clean water so that its people no longer suffer, they demonstrate practical love the way Jesus did, and they open hearts and minds to hope.

Fight for the Forgotten

In 2016 MMA cage fighter Justin Wren continued work in his home-away-from-home of the Congo. Water4-trained enterprises in DRC expanded their operations and their reach — bringing clean water to more than 22,000 thirsty people, while also employing and empowering 36 men and women to end the water crisis in their nation.

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Water4

What does it take to change the world? It takes people like Pearl Fisher. That no matter their age, know they have a role to play, and make the decision to act. At seven-years-old, Pearl is playing her role in fighting the water crisis from her community in Santa Rosa, Cali. For her seventh birthday, Pearl set a goal to raise $2,000 to build a well and in just 25 days, Pearl blew through her  goal and has raised over $8,000 to date. Pearl is a world changer, and we're honored to be part of it!

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Bubbles
Andrew & Abi Vrbas
Pacha Soap Co-Founders
Water4

In 2011, she launched Rustic Cuff, a jewelry company built entirely on giving. In 2017, Jill Donovan used her company as a catalyst to raise $150,000 empowering Water4 partners to end the water crisis for thousands. Watch the video below to see Jill’s story.

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Water4
Thoughts from Matt Hangen, Chief Operations Officer

Integral Mission

We firmly believe that social enterprise — not charity — is the answer to the water crisis, and that to do business well, the employed must operate from a vision bigger than themselves.

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Monetization

Everywhere in the world where water is clean, it’s paid for. That's why Water4 is helping African families become “customers” of water drilling businesses, making small payments for the water they use.

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Training

At Water4, one of our core missions is to train local people to address local problems so they can carry the torch of deep, lasting transformation — making them the heroes instead of us.

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