Thirst Project Interview

“How much money do you think it takes to start a global movement?”

[pause]

“Thirst Project started with $70. Our founder Seth — he's on the far right here — was 19 years old when he first heard about the global water crisis. He got some friends together, they pooled everything they had, and that came out to just $70.

With that, they bought cases of water and jerry cans– the plastic containers used by people in water-scarce communities to carry and store water."

“They took everything out to Hollywood Boulevard and just started talking to people like you and me. Handing out water, and having real conversations about what the water crisis actually looks like around the world.”

“They challenged people on the street to carry full jerry cans down to the Gap and back– just to feel what it’s like. They felt it and gave back for the water they received.

In one day, $70 became an astonishing $1,700. Seth and his friends sent it off to repair an existing water well, and thought their work was done”

“But then, something unexpected happened. Schools nearby started reaching out, asking Seth and his friends to come speak to their students about the water crisis. Naturally, their first reaction was “ we can't do that, we have finals next week!” But still, they showed up, and led fundraisers that raised over $12,000”

They wrote out their check to “ The Thirst Project”, solidifying their belief that young people were absolutely capable of changing the world– they just needed someone to activate them around this issue”

“And that’s exactly what Thirst Project became. What we do is exactly what’s happening right now: we travel around the world, speaking at middle schools, high schools, colleges, and educating students about the global water crisis and challenging them to help us end it. And students everywhere have been”

the source water description

“This is a photo of the water source that Tentele Primary School was relying on before we got there. Tentele is a K through 7 grade school in a rural part of Eswatini, a small, landlocked country in Southern Africa. And this– this dirty, contaminated water– was what the kids, the teachers, everyone in that community were using for drinking, cooking, washing. Everything.

the agriculture class

Because of the water shortage, their school had to cancel their agriculture class. They couldn’t irrigate the garden, so nothing would grow. And that matters a lot in Eswatini because not only is it an important part of their daily lives, it shows up in their national exams. Students were terrified they’d fail that section and not be able to move on to secondary school.

the stomach aches

On top of that, 40-50 kids every single month were coming in sick with stomach aches from drinking contaminated water. Every single month.”

the impact

Thirst Project knew we had to step in. So, we built a brand new freshwater well at Tentele. When we went back to visit, the head of school told us the agriculture class had started back up. And in the 8 months since we built that well zero cases of waterborne illness were reported. Zero.

And all around Eswatini, kids are drinking clean water and going to school because of efforts from people like you.

the finale

That’s what happens when young people decide to act. That’s what Thirst Project does. And that’s why I’m here. 

So Andrew- you don't need $70 to participate in a global movement and change the world. You just need to decide to do something about it.”