Water For People CEO to Climb Mt. Stanley to Launch Challenge21

Climb Will Launch Water For People’s Everyone Campaign

Denver, CO – – On August 16, Water For People’s Chief Executive Officer Ned Breslin will begin a 16,763-foot trek up Mt. Stanley in Uganda, Africa, in connection with Challenge21 and to recognize “Everyone,” Water For People’s initiative to create awareness and widespread support for programmatic principles designed to reach everyone with sustainable water and sanitation development solutions. The climb is a continuation of Water For People’s ongoing efforts to establish creative and collaborative solutions that allow people to build, operate and maintain their own reliable safe water and sanitation systems.

“With 884 million people lacking access to safe drinking water and 2.5 billion people without adequate sanitation methods, the scale of the global water and sanitation crisis is massive, yet solvable, and our commitment to “Everyone” aims to achieve lasting change and impact for water and sanitation in developing countries,” said Breslin. “True change will only be achieved if everyone commits to improving these conditions throughout the world, today and tomorrow.”

The Everyone Commitment is comprised of four underlying principles, all of which ensure that everyone has access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation conditions:

*Everyone must have access to safe water and sanitation, even the poorest and most isolated, to stay healthy and for economic development to flourish.
*Water and sanitation solutions must last into the future, with services expanding as populations grow. Future generations should benefit from today’s changes.
*Local ownership is essential to sustainability. The government, community organizations, local businesses and community members must contribute financially and ensure there are sufficient resources for implementation, maintenance and system expansion.
*Water and sanitation development organizations have significant impact on people’s lives and all stakeholders must be accountable through ongoing monitoring of programs and projects.


Breslin will join Jake Norton, a renowned mountain climber and Challenge21 co-founder, who will be leading the expedition up Mt. Stanley in Uganda. The climb is the launch of Norton’s goal to climb the Triple Seven Summits – the three highest peaks on each continent, one of which is Mt. Stanley – in an effort to combat the world’s pressing development needs for water and sanitation. Water For People is Challenge21’s official partner, and during the next three to four years, Challenge21 plans to raise at least $2.1 million for the organization and engage 2.1 million people in recognizing and solving the global water and sanitation crisis.

“There is nothing more dramatic than climbing a mountain, and for many years now I’ve been looking for opportunities to leverage the inherent drama and visibility of the sport to raise awareness for an issue that touches me personally—water and sanitation,” said Norton. “My mountain climbing adventures have brought me to the farthest corners of the world, and I’ve been able to personally witness the water crisis that plagues many people in developing countries. Just like climbing a mountain, it is my hope that Water For People and Challenge21 will be able to overcome the issue using strategic partnerships, time, patience, and an approach that employs sustainable technologies that local people can use and maintain so future generations can benefit from lasting access to safe water and improved sanitation.”

In a similar effort to raise money through mountain climbing, on August 25, 2011, climbers will begin their summit of 19,341-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. All proceeds from the climb will benefit Water For People, and the organizers hope to raise $20,000—roughly the equivalent of one dollar for every foot in elevation they achieve as a group. Visit www.climbforwater.org for more information.

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ABOUT WATER FOR PEOPLE
Water For People is a non-profit international development organization dedicated to helping people in developing countries gain access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation. Water For People’s entrepreneurial approach establishes partnerships between local and national governments, nongovernment organizations, private enterprise, and entrepreneurs to create self-managed safe water and sanitation services that last over time. Water For People works to reach everyone with sustainable services in the areas where it operates and monitors development for at least 10 years post project completion. To learn more, visit www.waterrorpeople.org

ABOUT CHALLENGE21
Launched on April 22, 2011, Challenge21 is a ground-breaking series of expeditions where renowned climber, Jake Norton, will attempt to be the first person to climb the Triple Seven Summits – the three highest peaks on each continent – to raise at least $2.1 million for Water For People over four years. To learn more, please visit www.challenge21.com