Introducing ‘Kite 4 Water', a new, humanitarian project that is inspired by the established organization ‘Waves for Water', and has been working alongside other members of the kiteboarding community. Below is their mission statement, and TheKiteMag is very much looking forward to working with Kite 4 Water to promote this worthy cause. And you can help them on their mission too – please visit their campaign site (here) to contribute:
Our mission is simple: bring clean water access to every person we can.
Our campaign involves identifying communities world-wide that need clean water access, traveling to these regions, connecting with community leaders to take lead in distributing the water filter systems, and educating the communities on filter functionality. We will also be documenting every trip to share each community's story and the life-changing impact that these filters have.
Filtration system: “Out of the darkness comes light” – Our Clean Water Ambassador Khris is in Nepal with a group of four others, including his son. They are installing clean water filtration systems, Septic tanks, and toilets over the next several months. They have reported to us that they could use at least 1000 filtration units to help the people in the immediate area alone. Nepal is one of our top priorities, as we have people on the ground NOW, and the need is dire after the last earthquake.
This is a very pivotal time for our organization in terms of fundraising and planning projects for the New Year.
Sharing or contributing to our INDIEGOGO campaign is the best way for you to fund our 2016 trips and have an immediate impact on clean water access around the world. We just launched it: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kite-4-water#/, and are selling T-shirts and Hoodies to raise money, the perfect gift for holidays with meaning. For every $1 raised, we will be able to provide two individuals with clean water access for 5+ years.
We are also currently putting together a disaster relief fund and strategic plan for future natural disasters happening in the U.S..
Jeff Kafka (Co-founder) + Khris (CWA) prepping filters for travel and formulating the strategy. Detailed planning is a must for every trip, and every Ambassador must be prepared to adapt to new situations.
We have been working with other organizations that have already brought millions, YES millions, clean water access in just the past few years, using the same techniques that we are implementing. Each filter brings 100 people clean water for five years. This means that on a single trip we need to transfer only a few hundred filters to bring over 20,000 people clean water access.
Children of Nepal. Young children are most susceptible to the mortal dangers of bacteria contaminated water. One $50 filter can start saving lives the instant it is turned on and lasts for 5+ years.
What really inspired this project were the ideas “Travel with Purpose” and “DIY Humanitarian”. A large part of our project is to spread these ideas and show others how simple it is to launch their own fundraisers and take a little bit of time to help others on their next travel trip. Some will take 5-10 filters on one journey, while others might take hundreds of filters. We have already seen individuals successfully running several fundraisers to raise hundreds of water filters, but no project is too small.
Khris' son digging a septic system in Nepal.
There is a world-wide network of kiteboarding schools, shops, and industry leaders that we are bringing together to start their own Clean Water Ambassador projects and promoting Kite 4 Water to their shoppers, traveling kiteboarders,and professional athletes. Not only are they helping us to promote Kite 4 Water, they are acting as advisors on the ground to help us identify the areas that are in most need of clean water access.
Our main focus in 2016 is Central and South America, but we are currently sending Clean Water Ambassadors to Nepal and Indonesia as well. The need for filters in Nepal is DIRE, and we must act now to send relief aid. Our team has identified areas where we can easily send 1000 filters immediately.
Here's your chance to bring one of the most simple, daily necessities – clean water – to those in need. You can visit www.Kite4water.org today to learn more about the filters and the regions where we are currently working and need more support.
Kite4Water || INDIEGOGO campaign
Header image: The people of Vanuatu holding our Kite4Water logo… Clean Water Ambassador Sarah delivers five filtration systems on her travels. Her work will bring up to 500 people clean water access for 5+ years, and she was just “doing what she loves, and helping along the way”.
