RACHEL BECKWITH'S LEGACY

37,OOO PEOPLE IN 143 VILLAGES IN ETHIOPIA NOW HAVE CLEAN WATER BECAUSE OF RACHEL'S WISH.

Five years ago, young Rachel Beckwith had a wish.
  Shortly before her ninth birthday, this young lady learned that children on the other side of the planet were spending more time walking to find and collect dirty water, than they were in school.
  She decided to help.

Birthday Gifts
Rachel asked family and friends to donate $9 to her fundraising campaign for water, instead of giving her birthday gifts.
  She wished to fundraise $300 - enough to bring clean water to some children in need.
  Rachel managed to raise $220. Her mom reassured her she could try to fundraise more for her next birthday.

Not to be
But it was not to be. Tragically, this little angel left us a month later in a traffic accident.
  The Seattle community of Rachel and her family were shaken to hear the news.
  A local news station happened to mention Rachel's wish to raise $300 and bring clean water to children in need.
  Hundreds of strangers began to give $9 in her memory. Their numbers swelled to tens of thousands.
  Eventually, Rachel's fundraising campaign had grown from $220 to $1.2 million.
  This sum has proven sufficient to bring clean and safe drinking water to 37,770 people in Ethiopia.

Impact
In Beato alone, 250 people collect an average of 1,484 liters of water every day, because of Rachel.
  408 of the benefactors who donated to Rachel's fundraiser, went on to fundraise for clean water as Rachel had.
  Their group has raised another $1.7 million for clean water. [1]

Water is the gift of life
Without water we cannot exist. Without clean water, we cannot hope to live healthy, lengthy and strong lives.
  Rachel gave a gift that will continue to keep on giving.
  As each liter of water is brought up from each well, so her thoughtfulness and care for others continues to spread a rainbow of blessings around the earth.

Want to Help?
Do you want to help Charity:Water with their incredible ministry to those in need?
  Pledge your birthday and help save lives;
https://my.charitywater.org/birthdays/

[1] Charity:Water - Rachel's Legacy
https://medium.com/@charitywater/rachels-legacy-6ba639dbbd31#.dtaiat4x9

With thanks to charitywater.org, medium.com and youtube