Recently, it came to my mind that my own high school that I attended for four years was and is doing an incredible job of creating a redemptive impact felt by many impoverished people living in Africa. The name of this is called “NA Project Water.” North Allegheny is located in Wexford which is about 45 minutes from Grove City. While I attended NA, I took part in helping to lead this fundraiser which raises money for wells in Africa. While learning about the lack of water in Africa, it also came to my attention just how much of a staple water is for living. Because many people do not have access to clean drinking water, large amounts of time are spent each day by many families trying to find clean water. This time takes away from the possibility of going to school and most of the time, the water collected is contaminated causing disease and death.

To help solve this problem of finding and maintaining clean drinking water for people in Africa, a fundraiser/organization was started in which students would donate 30$ and in return enter into a day-long dodgeball tournament with their friends. A portion of this money is then donated to certain partners: World Vision and Heart for Uganda. These partners would then steward the money and wells were/are created to help change the cycle of poverty experienced by many in Africa. While providing for a way for people to access clean drinking water may not seem like a huge reward, it indeed is. Providing clean water for families allows for children to use the time they would spend finding water and replace it with time becoming educated. This education helps families get jobs which in turn starts to end the cycle of poverty experienced by many over various generations.

Since 2015, 1,000 people have gotten access to clean water from the student-led/organized fundraiser efforts. A total of $60,000 has been dontaed and a surgury center, housing, improvements for a school, and multiple wells have been built due to the generosity of students. Although this fundraiser event is not namely Christian, many of the people who founded the mission are believers. It is incredible to see the mission carrying on even though the team of leaders is not entirely Christian. Students who would not have any knowledge of what being a part of a Christ-centered, Gospel mission are now experiencing it.

Link to Website: https://www.projectwater.org/what-we-do