This Charity Wants to Help Put the Water Crisis to Bed

17 percent of people in Nepal, 30 percent of people in Madagascar, and 65 percent of people in Mozambique share one thing in common – they all go to bed thirsty. And 703 million people worldwide still lack access to clean water.

To help end that reality, charity: water, a leading force in the global water sector, announced the launch of its 'Sleep For Water' initiative, on World Sleep Day, March 14th.

By turning night time routines into a force for good, 'Sleep For Water' offers anyone and everyone a simple yet powerful way to make a difference. Participants are encouraged to donate 10 cents each hour they sleep. If every American did this, charity: water estimates they’d be able to raise enough in 12 months to end the global water crisis altogether. That's over 700 million people who would be released from the crippling effects of dirty water and free to realise their own dreams.

Taking part is easy: make a nightly commitment, and rest well knowing that 100% of donations go directly to providing clean water to people around the world.

"The idea stemmed from a simple question: what if we took something we did every night and hardly even think about, and used it to change the lives of 700 million people?" said Scott Harrison, founder and CEO of charity: water. "Our dream for almost 20 years has been to provide clean water to everyone on the planet. Sleep for Water invites people to do something and wake up every morning to a world where more people have clean water. Because of them."

This campaign is part of charity: water’s ongoing effort to raise awareness about the global water crisis and fund sustainable, locally owned clean water projects. By donating pennies, dimes, and quarters for every hour of sleep, participants can contribute directly to bringing life-saving water access to vulnerable communities. Each donation, no matter how small, plays a critical role in providing a basic human right that many take for granted.