'Two weeks' group strives for African wells

By: Travis Robinson

Posted: 1/31/08

Give up, keep track, donate and, in the process, drink nothing but water for two weeks. That's what countless of Texas A&M students began doing Monday in an effort to raise money for 1000 Wells TAMU.

The fundraiser, "Two Weeks of Sacrifice," is organized by 1000 Wells TAMU and runs from Jan. 28 to Feb. 10. Students pledge to give up all beverages except for water, keep track of the money they save and donate it to 1000 Wells TAMU. The money goes toward bringing clean drinking water to impoverished communities in Africa by building clean-water wells.

1000 Wells TAMU began in 2007 when a handful of students went to a Derek Webb concert. Touched by a speech given at the concert and emboldened with a passion for helping others, the students set out to make a difference, and they pushed to have 1000 Wells become a recognized student organization.

Junior finance major Forrest Webber described the reasoning behind the need for clean water, using AIDS as an example.

"Everyone knows how AIDS works…it's called an 'Immune Deficiency Syndrome,' which means no one actually dies of AIDS, they die of some other disease. I learned that more than 90 percent of the disease that kills Africans could be stopped if only they had access to clean water," Webber said.

1000 Wells is an organization dedicated to running a local campaign for the broader, national 1000 Wells Project run by the organization Blood: Water Mission. The organization's mission statement explains that it aims to increase awareness for Africa throughout A&M, Bryan and College Station and to provide an outlet for students at the University to be better informed on global and local issues they can be involved with.

Sophomore sociology major Becky-Anne Wilson said that her motivation comes from her compassion for others.

"I think it gives a great perspective of what people deal with every day, and even though we complain about only being limited to water, we don't think twice about having it," Wilson said.

"Preventable water-related diseases kill four children every minute," said 1000 Wells TAMU staff member Alyse Bowers. She said that it's such statistics that motivate many to donate.

"Last year, we raised around $2,000, but that was before we had anything really established - before we were an organization," said junior sociology major Bowers.

Being a young organization is the hardest part of fulfilling mission goals, said Co-director Henry Proegler.

"I wouldn't even consider us doing it last year. We were basically organized through Facebook. I think we borrowed a table from another organization in the MSC [for fundraising]," said Proegler, a junior finance major.

He emphasized that $1 will save one life. The 1000 Wells Project has built more than 50 wells to date and 1000 Wells TAMU hopes to add to that.

Proegler said most wells will cost around $2,500, while others can cost up to $25,000. "They'll do whatever it takes to get water [to the location]," he said.

Webber said the purpose of sacrificing everything but water has a two-fold purpose in addition to raising money.

"The purpose of drinking the water is to recognize that this is a necessity that the people in Africa don't have," he said. The impoverished group numbers 1.1 billion, according to 1000 Wells TAMU.

"I would like to think that we'll raise $10,000-$15,000," Proegler said.

But members admit that expectations can sometimes lead to disappointments. The organizations were in talks with Jars of Clay and Matt Kearney to come and perform at A&M. Proegler said both were supportive, but neither worked out because of scheduling conflicts. A benefit concert is on the agenda for 2009.

For 1000 Wells TAMU, raising awareness is as large a focus as money.

"Obviously we still want to raise money, but our focus this year is to raise awareness so that next year it can be bigger," Bowers said.

"We wanted to get as many organizations and as much exposure as possible," Bowers said. "Next year we're hoping to have a benefit concert, speak at Fish Camp and involve companies from the corps. We also want to involve the community - not just A&M."

Organizers also said that they welcome donations. Webber said that most college students have a hard time keeping track of, or giving up, many beverages.

"I'll probably just end up donating what I would give up because I'm addicted to caffeine," Bowers said.