WE FIRST DISCOVERED THAT SIBUSISO’S VILLAGE DOES NOT HAVE SAFE WATER BACK IN 2010 WHEN HE CASUALLY SHARED WITH OUR TEAM THAT HIS ONLY DAUGHTER WAS SICK. AFTER SOME INQUIRY, WE DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD CONSUMED DIRTY WATER FROM A CONTAMINATED SOURCE, BECAUSE THAT’S ALL THEY HAD ACCESS TO IN HIS VILLAGE OF EDLOZINI. NATURALLY, THIS SHOCKED THE TEAM, BECAUSE THEY’D SPENT WEEKS VISITING DOZENS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES WITH SIBU, AND ASSESSING THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD RECEIVE WATER FROM THE THIRST PROJECT, AND SIBU NEVER ONCE MENTIONED THAT HIS OWN COMMUNITY WAS IN NEED.

THE TEAM IMMEDIATELY ASSESSED SIBU’S COMMUNITY AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS A UNIQUE CHALLENGE. THE VILLAGE IS SITUATED ATOP A MOUNTAINSIDE AND THE SPRAWLY COMMUNITY IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 5,000 PEOPLE. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE VILLAGE IS SPREAD ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN, DRILLING DEEP ENOUGH AND PROVIDING A WATER SYSTEM THAT WILL SERVE THE COMMUNITY’S NEEDS WILL TAKE MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL HAND PUMP WELL. IT WILL REQUIRE ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEMS THE THIRST PROJECT HAS EVER INSTALLED.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE SET OUT TO TRY TO FUND THE WATER SYSTEM NEEDED IN EDLOZINI. THIS PROJECT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $59,000 USD. COLLECTIVELY, WE HAVE RAISED $19,000 BY THE GENEROUS GIVING OF SOME OF OUR MOST AFFLUENT DONORS AND DEAR FRIENDS. THAT LEAVES US $40,000 REMAINING TO COMPLETE THE FUNDING FOR SIBU AND EDLOZINI.

THIS PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. WE’RE NOT ASKING FOR MUCH- JUST 2-THINGS:

1). A ONE-TIME $20 DONATION AND
2). FOR YOU TO ASK YOUR FRIENDS
AND FAMILY TO DO THE SAME.