Water1st International
Lasting, comprehensive solutions to the global water and sanitation crisis.
07/31/2024
Thank you Global Washington for sharing our film highlighting the importance of investing in women & girls and ending the walk for water.
Our member Video of the Week that we are featuring on our home page is from Water1st International and it's a beautiful video of how Water1st drilled a well and changed a community in . Take a 5-minute break and take a look:
https://globalwa.org/ -of-the-week
07/23/2024
🎟️ see ticket link in bio
Join us for a night of beer (or soft drinks) and bites provided by Stoup Brewing, plus pop trivia + prizes led by Jeopardy! champions Head in the Clouds Trivia.
Gather for this fun(d)raiser to support clean water projects in Kenya, Honduras, and Bangladesh at an award-winning brewery in the Ballard Brewery District.
All ages are welcome
$30/person (ages 21+)
$20/person (under 21)
ticket includes beverage + trivia
Doors open 6:00pm
Trivia starts 7:00pm
Stoup Brewing – Ballard
1108 NW 52nd St.
Seattle, WA 98107
07/19/2024
Water1st was honored to host CEO Alice Albright and her team from the Millenium Challenge Corporation during their Seattle visit. We admire MCC’s efforts to invest in locally-led solutions that alleviate poverty and promote economic growth.
Water1st supporters know that tap water and hygienic toilets do just that. Or as one Kenyan recently told us, water flowing from a household faucet “solves so many problems all at the same time.”
A question we are frequently asked is whether or not there are households that cannot afford a monthly water bill. Our systems are designed to keep day to day operations costs as low as possible, by doing things like utilizing clean water sources that do not require filtration treatment or by using solar energy for pumping.
But despite these efforts to make a water bill as low as possible, the answer is yes, there are always a few households that cannot afford it.
In Kokelo, Kenya, the community is addressing this issue by identifying what they are calling vulnerable households, households whose monthly water bills will be subsidized by the rest of the community.
In all, twenty-two households in Kokelo were identified in this category. The community also decided that in staging the construction work for their project, the water connections for these 22 households would be completed at the outset, so that the most vulnerable people would be the first to have running water and toilets at their homes.
Grace was selected to have priority access to a water connection. When she was informed of this decision by the community, she requested that her spot be given to someone else, saying, “I will be ok. I can wait. Someone else may need it now more than me.”
Today we visited Grace again. Grace now has water at her house.
06/23/2024
Our Water Tourers and Global Fellows students are en route to Kenya where our partners, CABDA and KWAHO, are working hard to ensure that every single person in their regions have access to clean water. Our travelers will see first hand how and why our partners empower and train communities to build, operate, and maintain their water and sanitation systems independently. We are excited to be reunited with Frida, a community leader in our Emukoye project, and learn about the progress they are making on their water system. We’ll share updates here!
05/08/2024
Thank you! Asante sana!
On May 5, together we carried water in solidarity with people who carry water every day.
We walked in cities across the country and around the world.
786 donors raised $143,074 and counting!
Thanks to your generosity, the community of Musambirisi, Kenya will have clean running water at their homes and school, ending their walk for water forever!
Thank you Youth Board for your outstanding leadership and advocacy!
📷 2024 Carry5 Walk for Water photo gallery (https://www.flickr.com/photos/water1st/albums/72177720316629616/)
➡️ Learn more about our youth programs (https://water1st.org/get-involved/youth-programs/)
05/05/2024
💧👟 Carry5 Walk for Water is Today
Today we walk in solidarity with women around the world who carry water every day and help end the walk for water in Musambirisi, Kenya.
📍Where: Seattle Center’s International Fountain (Directions ➡️: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Ec2EnJzBhueHqtv8)
🎟️ Register or Donate Online ➡️ https://water1st.org/carry5/
Walk-ins welcome!
$25/person (Venmo, credit card, check)
Children 5 & under free.
Leashed dogs are welcome.
📋 Schedule:
12:00pm - Registration opens at Seattle Center Fountain
12:45pm - Welcome and awards
1:00pm - Walk for Water begins
Bring your own container and wrap to carry water. You can fill your container with water from Seattle Center Fountain (set at its lowest setting). Extra containers & wraps available on a first come first served basis.
❓Questions? Call 206-297-3024
05/04/2024
Why I walk 💧
"The first time I truly internalized that over two billion women and children around the world must go on a grueling journey up to multiple times a day for a resource as important as water, it shocked me. It also made me realize that there are many other people out there who may not understand the severity of this issue, and that combined with the knowledge I gained through collaborating with my peers in my youth board meetings motivated me to do my best to educate others to one day end the walk for water."
-Ava, Water1st Youth Board Member
📷 Ava with her mother Carolyn, Water1st Board Member
04/16/2024
Why I Walk
"I walk for water because I want to support families and communities in getting the most effective and important natural resource, water. It is not fair that some people are born into an area where water is not easily accessible. Visiting Honduras, I saw how dedicated the people are to getting easy access to clean water throughout their communities. There is much to be done in solving this world-wide issue and it's important to help as much as we can. I want everyone to feel that they can get water whenever and wherever they need it. I am proud to walk on May 5th in support of Water1st."
Charlotte, Middle School Youth Board Member
Photo of Charlotte with Water1st founder and Executive Director, Marla Smith-Nilson.
04/11/2024
Why do I walk?
"Since I was 7, I have participated in the Carry 5 for Walk for Water. This experience helps me understand just a fraction of the daily struggles faced by communities without access to clean water, which continuously fosters a greater sense of empathy within me. While supporting Water1st, I feel empowered to make a difference in our world by providing sustainable water solutions and sanitation to those who lack access to it. Water is a human right, although it is something we often take for granted. Carry 5 is more than a walk; it's a symbol of solidarity, and reminds us of the fundamental human right to clean water."
Rhea, Youth Board Leader and 5 year member
04/10/2024
Why do I walk?
Long-time supporter and Water1st board member, Lynn Carr, shares why she is joining Carry5 Walk for Water on May 5th at the Seattle Center.
"I walk with my family. I walk because it is a reminder of just how onerous it is to carry water even one time per day. My husband got emotional the first time he tried to carry the actual weight that women and girls carry, realizing just how heavy a load it is. It is important that my sons understand this reality. I walk in solidarity with women and girls around the world, hoping to help raise awareness and funds to end their walk for water."
Join Lynn and all of us on May 5 in Seattle and worldwide. https://water1st.org/carry5/
Today is .
How much water do people need to be healthy?
This short video shows how piped water saves lives and prevents the spread of disease.
88% of diseases and 50% of child deaths worldwide can be eliminated through household water supply and toilets.
04/02/2024
May 5, 2024
Carry5 Walk for Water
Seattle and Worldwide
➡️ learn more + register: water1st.org/carry5
Walk in solidarity with women around the world.
Rally your friends & family, co-workers, scout troop, sports club or school and create a team! Our collective efforts will provide a piped water project for the community of Musambirisi, Kenya—ending their walk for water forever.
03/22/2024
Today is World Water Day—our annual opportunity to unite around global water issues. Let’s demonstrate our solidarity with the over 2 billion women & girls who do not have a household faucet.
💧Take action today! Register for our upcoming Carry5 Walk for Water on May 5. Together, we can end the walk for water.
💧 REGISTER: Water1st.org/carry5
Sweet sound of running water. ❤️💧(Bangladesh)
03/12/2024
Join us this Thursday, March 14 @ 5pm PST for a Honduras Zoom Update! with Marla Smith-Nilson, Water1st Executive Director + Kirk Anderson, Director of International Programs.
💧Register: Water1st.org/zoom
Join us for an update from our recent monitoring trip to Honduras! Our Honduran partner has been implementing projects that are providing families with access to water and toilets at their homes for decades. We will highlight progress on new projects and share stories of the impact your support is having on community members, especially women. We will also be happy to answer your questions.
Please feel free to share with your friends!
03/08/2024
This International Women’s Day we hold up all women, especially the women & girls we just met in Chowdurypara, an indigenous community outside of Chattogram, Bangladesh. They live in the hills, separated from the rest of society.
The women shared with us…
“We’ve been searching for a solution to our water problem for 50 years.”
“We collect water from the lowlands. It takes a long time to collect the water, and carrying it up the hill is dangerous. The job is mostly done by girls. The women are working. This means girls don’t have much time for school.”
“We lack toilets. And we use so little water, we can never clean properly.”
Girls collecting/carrying water in the videos: Talpoti, Bijoy Laxmi, Rupali, and Rita. (We won’t forget you.)
🚰🚽🚿Water1st projects provide every home with a water faucet, toilet, and shower—ending the walk for water for women & girls, improving health, and restoring dignity.
💧Invest in water. Invest in women. Learn more + get involved: water1st.org
03/07/2024
Day 3 in Bangladesh. Tripurapara community near Chattogram. This is Sonaloki Tripura by her household faucet. “I’m so happy! I have more time now to farm to earn income. I can afford school fees for my children. And my children have time for school. I would like to thank those who made this project possible!” ❤️💧(Before & after photos.)
02/26/2024
We are back home and missing our Honduran colleagues 💙🇭🇳. Here’s a recap of the 2nd half of our visit:
We joined the small community of Buena Vista on their first day of pipeline trenching. It’s back-breaking work, and we are humbled by the strength and commitment of the community who will continue to do this work for the next 6 to 8 months.
Next we inaugurated another water project in nearby San Jose that serves 81 families.
The following day we walked through a watershed that has been protected by members of 21 water boards for the last 37 years. Our hike ended at Piedra Parada (‘standing rock’) to learn about Lempira, the Lencan leader and a national hero of Honduras. A nearby school recreated the event when Lempira was killed by Spanish invaders at this very spot according to legend.
We then toured to coffee farm owned by an amazing woman, affectionately known as Chepita, who years ago helped build a water project in her community with the support of our local partner organization.
We spent the night in La Esperanza, the highest altitude city in the country at more than 6000 feet. We were very fortunate to be able to watch the best folkloric dance group in the country, Oro Lenca, performing dances from different parts of the country.
02/25/2024
Day 2 recap:
Thanks to your support of Water1st over the years, the municipality of Valladolid has achieved an incredible 100% coverage of households with tap water in the region.
The regional board is now in the process of installing water meters at households and other locations for better management of leaks in all water systems in the region.
Francisca’s household is one of the 245 households so far where a meter has been installed.
We also learned from a group of women volunteers who working to improve child nutrition in the area now that households have water and are able to grow vegetables.
This presented another opportunity to eat tamales. Our trip rule: the only correct answer is “si, gracias” when offered a tamale in Honduras. 🫔😋💙
02/25/2024
Day 1 continued:
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony in La Joya, we headed to Chusquin, another community in the municipality of La Iguala that does not have a water system. The mayor of the municipality, also one of the youngest mayors in all of Honduras, is determined to connect all households in the region to tap water. He office has co-financed several projects with us. We are grateful for his collaboration, allowing us to reach more people with our funding.
We visited one of the water sources used by families in Chusquin, filled our containers, and experienced the walk for water they do multiple times each day. It was extremely difficult.
Several women stood atop a large rock and spoke to our group and the entire community about their struggle to find enough water. “We only bathe once a week.”
We hope to fund a project in Chusquin this year.
Our winter visit to Honduras 🇭🇳 is coming to an end. We’ll be sharing some highlights before we head back home.
Day 1:
Ribbon-cutting in the community of La Joya, municipality of La Iguala, a true end to the walk for water with tap water piped to every household, school and community center. “Little pot, little pot, you have accompanied me my entire life and now that I have water in my house I don’t need you anymore!”
It was such an honor and a privilege for us to share in the celebration of this new project completed in record time. The pipe trench-digging was incredibly tough through rocky and steep terrain. They use a scale from 1 (normal) to 3 (most difficult) to describe the difficulty of digging and this pipeline was almost all 3.
We pass on the gratitude from the community of La Joya to all Water1st supporters who made this project possible. 🚰🚿🚽💙
02/17/2024
A timely story from Northwest Public Broadcasting about one of our local water utilities as we are about to journey to Honduras to visit our local partner Cocepradil. We are grateful for the people at Tacoma Public Utilities, Seattle Public Utilities, the Washington State Department of Health and others who keep an eye on our water supplies. We look forward to visiting our Honduras partner who is working to make sure that households in the Lempira region of Honduras have access to the same quality water that we have. We'll be sharing more about the work you are supporting to connect communities in Lempira to a household water supply and a toilet while we are in Honduras next week!
Keeping a close eye on Tacoma’s water - Northwest Public Broadcasting East of Tacoma, across Highway 18, down a packed gravel road, and behind a locked metal gate, Tacoma Water churns over the Green River. This is the source for most of Tacoma’s drinking water. Continue Reading Keeping a close eye on Tacoma’s water
02/07/2024
Travel with Water1st staff to see the transforming effects of water projects firsthand! Meet the people you support — Kenya, Honduras, or Bangladesh.
💧Visit project communities and learn about our work delivering piped water to homes.
💧Interact with community members and our local colleagues.
💧Experience the walk for water with women and girls.
💧Learn about the culture and enjoy local cuisine.
💧Return home with new friends, much gratitude, and a deeper understanding of the impact of water on communities.
LEARN MORE: water1st.org/travel-with-us
02/01/2024
Water1st is thrilled to announce that we have been selected as a Cotopaxi Impact Partner! Cotopaxi will be supporting water projects in rural Honduras.🚰🇭🇳 Thank you ! 👏
“I’ve had the pleasure of watching Water1st empower communities through WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) interventions for nearly a decade, and I’m thrilled to add this incredible organization as a Foundation partner. Water1st’s commitment to community buy-in and the long-term support of their projects is truly world-class. I can’t wait to see the impact we’ll be able to create together.”
- Charlie Clark, Cotopaxi Foundation Director of Philanthropy
COTOPAXI MISSION: See the world. Make it better. Cotopaxi creates sustainable designed outdoor gear that fuels adventure and global change. They dedicate at least 1% of their revenue to nonprofits that help communities experiencing poverty.
Read the full story here:
https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/common-thread-story/water1st-new-partner
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02/01/2024
Water1st is thrilled to announce that we have been selected as a Cotopaxi Impact Partner! Cotopaxi will be supporting water projects in rural Honduras.🚰🇭🇳 Thank you, Cotopaxi!👏
“I’ve had the pleasure of watching Water1st empower communities through WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) interventions for nearly a decade, and I’m thrilled to add this incredible organization as a Foundation partner. Water1st’s commitment to community buy-in and the long-term support of their projects is truly world-class. I can’t wait to see the impact we’ll be able to create together.”
- Charlie Clark, Cotopaxi Foundation Director of Philanthropy
COTOPAXI MISSION: See the world. Make it better. Cotopaxi creates sustainable designed outdoor gear that fuels adventure and global change. They dedicate at least 1% of their revenue to nonprofits that help communities experiencing poverty.
Read the full story here:
https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/common-thread-story/water1st-new-partner
01/18/2024
Thank you for investing in women & girls! Together, we raised $2,750,000 in 2023 for water projects in Kenya, Honduras, and Bangladesh! 👏💧
Thousands of women in 60 communities experienced something life changing in 2023—a permanent end to their walk for water.
Because of your support, 281,251 people now have clean water and toilets at their homes.🚰🚽
And 123 million hours and counting have been freed up for women & girls to attend school, earn an income, and grow food - instead of collecting water. That's the miracle of a water project that pipes water to homes.🚰
We look forward to connecting with you in the year ahead—grab a friend and travel with us, attend an event, host an event in your city, involve your school or business in the cause, walk for water with us in May.
Let's continue to make the world brighter together!💧🩵
01/12/2024
Water1st is hiring an Operations Manager to join our team (in Seattle)! Spread the word! If you are detail oriented, organized, customer-service oriented, and want to be part of a team working to build a more equitable world, consider applying!💧To learn more + apply: water1st.org/operations-manager
Please share with your networks!
12/24/2023
Happy Holidays! 💧❤️
12/20/2023
Seattle! We're selling Water from Wine at the Cathedral Holiday Market — Pop-up Shop in Ballard! Wed. DEC 20 - Sat. DEC 23, 11am - 7pm. Stop by & visit us!
🍷💧Buy wine, find unique gifts, support local businesses & artists!
(100% of wine sales go to Water1st!)❤️
Cathedral (event space)
5449 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle 98107
Water1st.org/wine
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
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509 Olive Way, Suite 1122
Seattle, WA
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