Leadership: Empowering Students to Change the World for the Sake of Christ

One student provides new life for hundreds of Sudanese villages

Children, families, and entire African villages are dying. They have been dying for decades, dying for something Americans use everyday; water.

Sydney, a 16-year old student from Houston, Texas, was introduced to a program called Water Is Basic; a ministry focused on drilling water wells in Sudan, Africa. They are able to drill one, clean, water well for only $3,500. She found out that one in four children die before the age of five because of unclean water. Sydney knew she had to do something. She set a goal to raise enough money for three wells - $10,500. She shared this vision with her student ministry at church and gained their support. They planned to sell t-shirts for $20, all proceeds going to Water Is Basic. Sydney continued to recruit and share her vision with students at church and school. By the first week, $7k had been raised. Shirts were being worn at schools across northwest Houston. At the end of the fundraising project, Sydney was able to personally hand a check to the president of Water Is Basic. After 4 weeks, under Sydney's leadership, $30,000 had been raised for water wells in southern Sudan.

"One of my youth leaders told me about the water wells. It was hard for me to think that people were dying for something I can get by turning on the faucet. I prayed for God's direction. Though I have never been to Africa, I had a passion for brokenness and that gave me a fire to help." -Sydney, Texas

"Once she decided to go ahead and raise funds for the water wells, she just took it up and ran with it. She mobilized herself and friends to believe they could do big things. The biggest hurdle to overcome in any mission is believing that you can do it. It just takes one person to lead the way. Most adults don't believe students can really make a difference. This project has challenged our youth group to believe that we can do big things for God's kingdom." - Paul, Volunteer Youth Leader, Texas

For more information and ways you can help, check out: www.waterbasic.org