June Update

Ain't no mountain high enough...

Last month, seven students from Rutgers University, Ramapo College of New Jersey and Montclair State University embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. After raising more than $17,500— enough to bring access to clean water to over 700 people—the participants of Choose a Challenge USA set off to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

In the Remote Kitchen, WaterAid field officers around the world share delicious recipes from their local cuisine. Up first is Ernest, Madagascar's Voice from the Field Officer, with a tasty pork and cassava dish served with coconut rice. He learned this Malagasy recipe from his mom and it’s one of his favorites, since it reminds him of her.

Meet Andy Hernandez Lopez. He’s a 12-year-old boy who lives in San Jose Dipina, Nicaragua, with his family. At school, English is his favorite subject. In his spare time, you can catch him hanging out with his grandfather or playing soccer.

Andy hopes to one day give back to his community. He looks up to his dad who has played an important role in the project that brought clean water to his town. Andy’s father, Esteban, is the president of the water committee in San Jose Dipina.

Thanks to WaterAid and the unconditional support of the water committee, Andy's family and the rest of San Jose Dipina now have access to clean water.  

Meet other dads from around the world like Esteban, who are inspiring their kids and communities.

Every four years in June, humanity is brought together by the World Cup, a global soccer competition. For the next four weeks, the majority of the world will be cheering (or crying) for their respective teams. Sport has the power to unite people across continents.

So, what fuels this event that so much of the world looks forward to? In part, it’s love for the sport. It’s also water. Yes, water is at the heart of many sports.

What’s life like for soccer players around the world without access to clean water?

Meet Jean Bosco, 17, a student at Group School Kibungo in Rwanda. He’s the goalkeeper on the local soccer team. Though Jean is too shy to admit it, his friends say he’s one of the best players at the school. Jean is kind, funny and ambitious. But his school does not have access to clean water. This affects his concentration in the classroom and performance on the field:

The lack of water affects your concentration in school. You can't look at the blackboard and see what the teacher is teaching very well. You think about water and how you can get it.

A few weeks ago one WaterAid supporter, a lucky contest winner got an incredible opportunity to train with soccer superstar Héctor Bellerín! Yay Aariyan!