Others First Friday: 30 Bloggers, 30 Days, and charity;water

Earlier this week as I was planning on what to write for today, I noticed that my friends Bryan and Shawn were doing something unique with their blogs. They and 28 others were giving over their online real estate to literally put others first. Rather than blogging about the things they normally blog about, they chose to work together for a common good. I’ve asked Shawn Smucker to tell us about this interesting project; a unique way of putting others first.

A few weeks ago I got an email from Bryan Allain asking if I wanted to change the world. I said, Of course I want to change the world. He said that Tyler Stanton was trying to get 30 bloggers together to raise $30,000 in 30 days for charity:water. Our goal? To build a well in Africa for people with no access to clean, safe water.

This got me thinking:

I wonder how far away I got today from clean water?

Since I didn’t leave the house, the answer is pretty easy – about 20 steps. Any time I get thirsty I stand up, find a clean glass, and turn on the faucet. Easy peasy. Even when I do leave the house, every building I drive past has clean water, and every gas station would be happy to sell it to me. But not everyone has it this easy.

Did you know one billion people on this planet don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water?

That’s billion with a B, as in 1,000,000,000.

And, according to charity:water, “Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.”

This seems ridiculous to me, that I can be no more than 20 steps from drinking water, while 1,000,000,000 on this earth can’t get to it. Don’t you think?

What if I told you that you could go HERE to track our progress and give whatever amount you’d like to help us reach our goal? What if I told you that a $20 would provide one person with clean water for 20 years? It would be ridiculous not to do that. Don’t you think?

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Guess what? There’s a bigger picture.

I bet you have thirty friends or acquaintances you could band together with to change someone’s world. You can do more today for people around the planet than you could ever do before, probably in the history of the world.

Thirty of us, (thanks to Tyler), are taking 30 days in September and working together, trying to change the world for 1500 people in Africa.

You can join us, or you can find 30 other people and change a different part of the world – so what will you do this month?

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So here is the challenge from us at Inkling Media:

Many of us can give. If that’s you, then give.

All of us can share and spread the word. Even if you can’t give, tell others about this great project. Share this blog on your various social networks and share the link for donations. I’m betting this group of bloggers, with your help, can raise above and beyond their goal. Let’s show others how powerful Social Media really is by putting others first!

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Tagged as: Africa, blog, bloggers, charity:water, Drinking water, others first, Social Media, Social network, Water, Water Resources