🎉2024- A Year of Service and Growth- THANK YOU! 👋

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Subject: 🎉2024- A Year of Service and Growth- THANK YOU! 👋

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A year well concluded.

We’re ending this year achieving a benchmark: our programming is now available in fifty villages in Western Kenya! That’s almost 26,000 people who now have access to WaSH solutions- including water security, clean water, and certified soap- through our partner Community Based Organizations (CBOs). Here are thoughts from four Board Directors, describing how this work can be life-changing for villagers, what makes us effective, and why they support these very local, community-driven efforts.

Denny Kautzmann

Life has always provided both challenges and opportunities, and sometimes the challenges can seem to be overwhelming, almost insurmountable, and the opportunities few and far between.

It is important for me to do what I can – to give in meaningful, efficient ways that provide opportunities to some of those who have not seen many in their lives. That is why I’ve financially supported Friendly Water for the World since 2011 and have served for seven years on the board, presently as the board chair. I consider myself to be a servant leader for the benefit of everyone touched by our work.

You most likely are aware of the technologies we share. However, ours is a vastly different nonprofit in service to people in Kenya. While we provide initial financial support, training, tools, and materials, we continue to provide support through Kenyan staff to ensure economic, health, and social OPPORTUNITIES which benefit individuals and entire villages, improving their quality of life.

I support Friendly Water because I want to make a difference in the world, and also because I have seen the effectiveness of our programs. To paraphrase the famous saying, we are not just giving fish to the hungry, but teaching them how to fish. I ask for your help and support in this important endeavor.

Denny Kautzmann

Board Chair, Friendly Water for the World

Quigg Davis

As a physician with a public health background, serving as a board member for Friendly Water aligns deeply with my professional and personal values. I was initially drawn to this nonprofit due to its innovative approach in empowering local communities to establish sustainable systems for providing clean drinking water. Working in rural western Kenya, Friendly Water focuses on helping establish Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that aim to become self-sustaining while enhancing the economic, social, and health outcomes for their communities. Over the years, I have been privileged to see this effort expand beyond clean water to other activities that contribute to improving the health and quality of life for these communities.

Currently, the CBOs employ locals to build and produce rainwater catchment tanks, highly efficient perma-gardens, liquid hand soap and eco-friendly non-fired building blocks. Additionally, they sell Kenyan-produced affordable clean drinking water filter systems for household use. Through these affordable technologies and community activities Friendly Water fosters economic growth, promotes health and builds social cohesiveness.

I am excited about the future of Friendly Water and hope to see these community groups gradually take full ownership of their initiatives. My role as a board member allows me to contribute my expertise in public health, ensuring that our efforts not only provide immediate solutions but also create lasting, sustainable change for the people of western Kenya. Together, we can build a healthier and more self-reliant future.

Quigg Davis, MD, MPH

Board Director, Friendly Water for the World

Danny Stusser

Having served on the board of directors of Friendly Water for more than five years, I’ve fine-tuned my reasons for being involved. At first my interest was based on the opportunity to help with something big and exotic.

Friendly Water is breaking the mold from which do-good organizations in Africa seem to be made. It seems that most Western agencies, private or government, seek to impose their plans onto communities in Africa. They are welcomed because they bring money, not because they inspire local people in Africa toward self-sufficiency or self-determination.

The norm has been for African communities to see foreigners as targets from which to get money, not as partners. And, likewise, foreigners have long seen Africa as a safari tour, not a continent of people striving to overcome challenges.

Like other American organizations trying to help people and communities in Kenya, Friendly Water started as well-meaning, but clueless, outsiders. Over the past five years, our approach has been to create local partnerships from which we get reliable data about the projects we sponsor. That allows us and our partners to fine tune the projects.

We’ve been able to move to a model that enables people and communities in Kenya to tell us what they want to accomplish – not tell us what they think we want to hear. With that, we can work together to create lasting programs and self-sufficient partners there.

I see a day in the future when Friendly Water will be invited to train other nonprofits in our methods. That’s exciting – and it’s a joy to see how far we’ve come. And that’s why I’m happy to continue my involvement.

Danny Stusser

Board Director, Friendly Water for the World

Connie Vasek

I have been involved with Friendly Water for a number of years now. For me, it is important that I give back since I was helped so much in my life. I was given the tools that I needed to succeed by people I never knew. I could have never gone to school and had other opportunities without their help. It is now my turn to help others.

I have always volunteered with local organizations to help our community with both my time and my money. I enjoy learning about other countries and cultures. This led me to Friendly Water to help our global community. People all need to not have to worry about having clean water. How can they lead their best life without that?

Connie Vasek, MD

Past-Chair, Board Director, Friendly Water for the World

It's a wrap-

Our organization is successful when people like our Board Directors see the connection between their vision for a better world and the on-the-ground accomplishments of Friendly Water. The way we make that connection apparent is by being mindful of the details, responsive to the challenges, and invested in the communities we serve. I hope you see these connections, too.

These connections are only made possible by the significant amount of time our staff spends in the villages and with the CBOs. With four full-time employees in Kenya, we benefit from 160 hours a week of direct work with our partners. That's 8,300 hours a year, and that's the secret to our success - working with the community, living with the community, belonging to the community.

It's your support that allows us to have this staff on the ground and to create the success we have seen this year.

Thank you for your investment in this important and life-changing work.

Peace & joy in the New Year.

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Subject: 🎉2024- A Year of Service and Growth- THANK YOU! 👋