Ryan water for Africa

At age 6, RYAN HRELJAC learned that people around the world were dying because they had no access to clean water. And so, with the help of his family, Ryan raised his first $2,000 to build a well in Africa. For Ryan this was only the beginning: he went on to create the Ryan's Well Foundation, a charity committed to building clean water wells in Africa. He then took his message on the road lecturing in schools and forums across North America to raise awareness for his cause. Today, at 17, his fund-raising efforts are responsible for a total of 432 water and sanitation projects in 15 countries, providing clean water to over 577,640 people. For his achievement, he has been granted the 1x1 Award for helping fight child poverty, previously granted to Richard Gere and the Duchess of York.





El niño que le quitó la sed a medio millón de africanos
29 jul 2010


Ryan nació en Canadá en mayo del 91, es decir que a día de hoy tiene 18 años De pequeño, en la escuela, cuando tenía tan solo seis añitos su maestra les habló de cómo vivían los niños en África.

Se conmovió profundamente al saber que algunos hasta mueren de sed, que no hay pozos de dónde sacar agua, pensar que a él le bastaba dar unos pasos para que el agua saliera del grifo durante horas…

Ryan preguntó cuánto costaría llevarles agua. La maestra lo pensó un poco y recordó una organización llamada WaterCan dedicada al tema y le dijo que un pequeño pozo podía costar unos 70 dólares.

Cuando llegó a su casa fue directo a su madre Susan y le dijo que necesitaba 70 dólares para comprar un pozo para los niños africanos. Su madre le dijo que debía ganárselos él mismo y le fue poniendo tareas en casa con las que Ryan se ganaba algunos dólares a la semana. Finalmente reunió los 70 dólares y pidió a su madre que lo acompañara a la sede de WaterCan para comprar su pozo para los niños de África. Cuando lo atendieron le dijeron que lo que costaba realmente la perforación de un pozo eran 2000 dólares. Susan le dejó claro que ella no podía darle 2000 dólares por más que limpiara cristales para toda la vida, pero Ryan no se rindió. Le prometió a aquel hombre que volvería… y lo hizo.

Contagiados por su entusiasmo, todos se pusieron a trabajar : sus hermanos, vecinos y amigos. Entre todo el vecindario lograron reunir 2000 dólares trabajando y haciendo mandados y Ryan volvió triunfal a WaterCan para pedir su pozo.

En enero del 99 se perforó un pozo en un pueblo al norte de Uganda. A partir de ahí empieza la leyenda. Ryan no ha parado de recaudar fondos y viajar por medio globo buscando apoyos.

Cuando el pozo de Angola estuvo hecho, el colegio comenzó un carteo con niños del colegio que estaba al lado del pozo, en África.

Así Ryan conoció a Akana; un chico que había escapado de las garras de los ejércitos de niños y que luchaba por estudiar cada día. Ryan se sintió cautivado por su nuevo amigo y pidió a sus padres ir a verle. Con un gran esfuerzo económico por su parte, los padres pagaron un viaje a Uganda y Ryan en el 2000 llegó al pueblo donde se había perforado su pozo. Cientos de niños de los alrededores coreaban su nombre formando un pasillo.
- ¿Saben mi nombre? -preguntó Ryan a su guía
- Todo el mundo a 100 kilómetros a la redonda lo sabe, le respondió.

A día de hoy Ryan –con 18 años- tiene su propia fundación y lleva logrados más de 400 pozos en África. Se encarga también de proporcionar educación y de enseñar a los nativos a cuidar de los pozos y del agua. Recoge donaciones de todo el mundo y estudia para ser ingeniero hidráulico. Ryan se ha empeñado en acabar con la sed en África.

http://reflexionesdiarias.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/el-nino-que-le-quito-la-sed-a-medio-millon-de-africanos/

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À Propos de la Fondation

about_us_2 The Ryan’s Well Foundation grew from the commitment of one boy, Ryan Hreljac, who learned of the great need for clean and safe water in developing countries in his 1st grade class. With the support of friends, family and the community, Ryan raised enough money to build a well in Africa. In 1999, at age seven, Ryan's first well was built at Angolo Primary School in northern Uganda. To this day, the well continues to serve the community.

Although Ryan started raising money for water projects in 1998, the Foundation was not formed until 2001. Since then, Ryan’s Well has helped build over 700 wells and 830 latrines bringing safe water and improved sanitation to over 736,000 people.
Here is a quick glance of what we’re all about:

The Ryan’s Well Foundation is a Canadian registered charity (charitable registration # 88858 7110 RR0001)

In the past five years, an average of 85 cents of every dollar donated directly supports our charitable programs.
The Foundation has helped build 700 water projects and 839 latrines bringing safe water and improved sanitation to 736,569 people.
Over the years, we've involved over 650 schools in 30 countries in our fundraising activities. Each year, we share our message with over 120,000 people, mainly youth, through various speaking engagements.

Now, the work of Ryan’s Well has become the story of countless people, young and old, from across the world who are inspired to take responsibility and make a difference either in their own communities, or like Ryan, in faraway places. Ryan’s story has made people realize that anyone, even kids in Grade 1, can make a difference.



How much does it cost to build a well?

There are many factors that determine the cost of a well and other types of water access such as protected springs or rainwater harvesting tanks. What country is the well in? Is it a deep or shallow well based on terrain and geology? How accessible is the well site? What community activities and training are taking place to support the well? Is there a latrine included? These are all the questions that impact the costs of our water and sanitation projects and are important factors in the sustainability of safe water sources. As a guideline, a shallow well in Uganda generally costs approximately $5,000 - $6,500 Canadian dollars (3,865-5023 EUR ). A deep well can cost $15,000 (11.593 €) or more depending on the region. Our Projects Needing Help will give you a good idea of the current costs for our projects based on all these important factors for building sustainable water access.


How long does it take to complete a water project?

There are many factors which can impact the time needed to complete a water project. It is not always an easy question to answer given that it can vary by location, by season and by scale of the work being done. In general, a project of multiple sites can take between 6 and 12 months to complete. In some instances they can take longer due to issues such as in accessible road conditions in the rainy seasons, instability in the country or complications in acquiring materials.


How do I make a donation to the Ryan's Well Foundation?

There are many ways to make a donation:

Online through our secure website using MasterCard or Visa
Donating by mail with a cheque, money order or credit card information
Donating by phone (613.258.6832) using a credit card
Donating by wire transfer, please contact us by email or by phone (613.258.6832).
See a complete list of and instructions on additional ways to give!

Currently, cards with debit/credit inter-changeability are not accepted for online donations

http://www.ryanswell.ca/