The Land of 10,000 WELLS
Welcome to the Land of 10,000 WELLS: Where every drop fuels a wave of change.
When Minnesotans hear the phrase “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” we picture water: vast, clean, and life-giving. At H2O for Life, we are taking that iconic image and turning it into action with our boldest initiative yet, The Land of 10,000 WELLS.
This is not just a catchy name. It is our Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) to unleash the power of young people to change the world, one drop at a time. Over the next 10 years, we will fund 10,000 WELLS, where WELLS represents: Water systems that are clean and safe, Equity and justice for all communities, Learning programs that engage U.S. students and global communities, Local sustainability to create lasting impact, and Sanitation and hygiene education to prevent disease. It is a big goal, and yes, it is a mouthful, but it is still a lot easier to swallow than dirty water.
Since our founding in 2007, we have already seen the incredible power of this model in action. Together with our amazing partners, we have completed 1,290 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Education projects at schools around the world, giving 586,950 international students access to clean water at school. Here at home, 2,175 schools across the U.S. and Canada have participated in H2O for Life programs, empowering 913,500 students to learn about the global water crisis and take meaningful action to fight it. Those are some serious ripples of change, and we are just getting started.
Here is where the magic happens. Imagine a middle school science class in Minnesota launching a fundraiser to support a clean water project in Uganda. The students do not just raise money. They learn, connect, and grow through service-learning. By the end of the school year, they have improved their test scores, flexed their problem-solving muscles, and discovered what it means to be a global citizen, all while helping students halfway across the world gain access to safe water. It is like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with fewer capes and more soap.
The need is massive. Right now, 29% of schools worldwide lack safe drinking water or sanitation, which is as unacceptable as lukewarm coffee on a Monday morning. Over 2 billion people lack access to clean water, and 3.6 billion people lack access to safe sanitation. Those numbers are overwhelming and easy to ignore, until you realize that a simple, tangible action can make a difference. Through H2O for Life’s inspiration-to-impact model, students do not just hear about problems, they solve them. Research shows that participation in service-learning boosts attendance, test scores, and even mental health for U.S. students. When kids help others, they help themselves. That is a win-win worth celebrating.
The countdown to 2034 has already begun. Each new partnership, each new school project, and each new WELL(S) funded is another step toward a future where clean water is a universal right.
But we cannot do it alone. Whether you are a teacher, a parent, a corporate leader, or someone who believes in the power of young people, you can be part of this movement. Together, we can create ripples that turn into waves of lasting change.
Because in the Land of 10,000 WELLS, we are not just filling buckets, we are filling futures. And that is a goal worth raising a glass of clean water to. Grab your glass, your classroom, or your checkbook, and join us. Be part of something audacious. Be part of the flow.
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