Reinventing Charity
Scott Harrison addressed incoming first-year students in the Carroll School of Management to talk about the organization he founded, charity: water. charity: water is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water to communities around the world. He opened his talk by introducing his book, Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World, which traces his personal journey and the origins of his work.
Harrison shared aspects of his childhood, including the environmental conditions that contributed to his mother鈥檚 health struggles. These experiences shaped his understanding of how access to basic resources, particularly clean water, affects both individual well-being and the strength of entire communities.
Through his research, Harrison discovered that more than half of schools in developing regions lack access to clean water, creating significant barriers to education, especially for girls. In many communities, women and young girls are responsible for collecting water, often walking long distances each day. This responsibility frequently forces girls to miss school or drop out entirely, limiting their opportunities and reinforcing cycles of poverty. Harrison emphasized that women are disproportionately affected by water scarcity because of these societal expectations.
When communities gain access to clean water, the impact is transformative. Women express gratitude for the time and freedom it provides, allowing them to focus on education, family, and personal interests rather than daily survival. While this access brings relief, it can also prompt grief as people recognize that such resources could have been available much earlier.
Harrison concluded by stressing that the global water crisis is solvable. The technology and financial resources already exist, but progress is hindered by a lack of urgency and collective commitment. With access to clean water, women can return to school, improve their health, and contribute to economic growth, often by starting small businesses and reinvesting in their communities.
Morgan Keating, SSW'27, Winston Center Graduate Assistant听
Presented with the Portico Program
听