Water for Life - A RandomKid Project

What does it take to change the world?

Watch this NBC News story about a water project in South Africa. Take note of where the money came from to pay for the pump.

What does it take to change the world?

Kids.

Watch this RandomKid YouTube video about the water project.

Get beyond the sweet emotion of what you see here.

Think about what took place.

Kids between the 4th and 8th grades raising enough money to put a well pump in a rural African village.

Think about kids between the ages of 10 and 15 doing this. Picture in your mind kids that you know who are these ages. What do you expect of them? Be quiet; stay in line; clean up your room; don't be silly.

These same late elementary/middle school kids are doing remarkable things because they have the desire to make a difference.  This 10-15 year old age group is the most untapped resource of goodness in all of human history. They are the ones who can change the world because they have not learned that they can't. All they need is the opportunity and the support. This is what RandomKid does.

The celebration that is featured in this posting of Talia Leman, the CEO of RandomKid is for one of the school classes that did this water project.

What does it take to do a RandomKid project? 

It is really quite simple.

First, you need kids who care and want to make a difference.  It only takes one. It is more fun with more.

Second, you need the partnership of caring adults who can mentor and advise them through the process of doing project.

Third, you need organization. Projects don't run on emotion and good intentions. They require organization. Often this means a school or a business who can help.

This is the story of RandomKid, an organization that helps kids make a difference through their own individual acts.

What does it take to change the world? It just takes The Power of AnyOne.

Want to get involved?:
Please share this posting with kids, parents and teachers who you think would be interested in doing a water project. You can email water@randomkid.org if you are interested in having your classroom or youth group get started, visit www.randomkid.org/donate.asp to make a donation, or visit www.randomkid.org/water.asp for links to other videos, as well as a "waterblog" with musings from the classrooms participating.

UPDATE: Guy Kawasaki posts a National Geographic video of PlayPumps.

Comments

[Peter A. Mello]

Thanks for another inspiring post about what it takes to make a difference.

It will be interesting to monitor the long term impact of a program like this. I believe that actively engaging in philanthropy and service during these formative adolescent years will create societal benefits for years to come and for many it could be the catalyst for a lifetime of Leadership.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences with RandomKid with us.