Transparency Leads to Success in Fight for Clean Water in Africa

By Phin Upham

Many people have been turned off to charity donations because they don’t have faith that their money is being used properly. Scott Harrison understood that dilemma when he launched charity: water as a way to provide clean drinking water to people in rural Africa. His solution was a model that was based on “proof” and transparently showing that all money donated for water-related activities is used for that purpose. According to the New York Times, this has led to charity: water growing to become the largest water-based nonprofit in the United States.

The nonprofit claims to have supplied clean water for more than one million rural Africans. Donors such as Silicon Valley CEOs, athletes and movie stars have been drawn to the “100% Model” that ensures that money donated goes to water-related activities. Donors can also receive a report to see exactly which well their donations funded, or travel to Africa to see the results first-hand.

Read the article at: http://www.nytimes.com

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Phin Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Twitter page.