Louisville Students Learn Technology (and Filters) Can Change Lives
Mary Sithu learned about Water With Blessings when she and a teaching colleague attended the RockITWomen Conference last year. Mary, who coaches the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) and teaches Technology at Conway Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky, stopped by the WWB demonstration in the lobby.
There she met Renee Schultz, the Water With Blessings Youth Outreach Coordinator and Director of Communications. Renee was demonstrating how we use a Geographic Information System (GIS) to track our progress in training and equipping Water Women around the world. The two exchanged information, and Mary followed up to see how the STLP could collaborate with Water With Blessings.
“Everything regarding Water With Blessings was first introduced by Renee,” Mary said. “Later on, she sent some information by email, and I was able to learn how the Water Women are educated and trained.

“Coming from India and having lived five years in Guyana, South America, I know the cultural significance of training women. They are the glue in a family, and in the community. They may not have loud voices, but their actions speak louder than words.”
The students’ response has been impressive.

“We started listening to Long Walk to Water, and also read the book in our classes,” one student said. “But we did not know about using a filter that can provide clean drinking water for a lifetime. We created Instagram and Facebook posts. We will be launching them soon. We also created a stop-motion video to show how one filter can help four families, and also how Water With Blessings provides training for the women. 


“Because of COVID and the changes that we are experiencing, we are not sure if we will be able to sell candy bars, but we are working on better ways to raise funds.”

Mary asked the students what they thought they might gain by working on a project to support Water With Blessings.

Aleyna A. said: “We are not doing it to gain anything. We are doing it to make life better for people who need it. Giving filters to Water Women and training them gives them self-respect.” 

Lillian H. added: “The words that come to my mind are ‘Be selfless.’”

The staff members of Conway Middle School are proud of their students and fully support their service project.

“Our students are excited about the entire project,” she said. “This is an incredible opportunity for them to look beyond the four walls of the school, to collaborate with an organization, and to see lives changed. We send our thanks to Renee for joining us on Zoom Meetings to share about WWB and answer all our questions.”

If you know a teacher who might be interested in collaborating with Water With Blessings on a service-learning project, please contact Renee Schultz at renee@waterwithblessings.org
To donate to the Conway Middle School fundraiser for Haiti click the link below or TEXT: CONWAYWATER to 41444
We are in need of used smartphones to use in the field. Our GIS system is an essential part of our program and with your help we can equip our teams with the tools they need to input the data. So give that old smartphone a purpose and donate it to Water with Blessings.
You can either drop off or mail your Smartphones to:
Water With Blessings
1902 Campus Place Suite 11
Louisville, KY 40299
Ripple Effects: Share your church or community organization’s success story with Water With Blessings
Many churches, religious orders and community organizations help us make clean water possible for God’s Thirsty Children around the world. Water With Blessings will help ensure the success of your local efforts with
--Information available from our website (www.waterwithblessings.org);
--Printed materials, including a customized report for details about our clean-water projects in a specific country, including Water Women activities;
--Videos of our latest efforts on our YouTube Channel;
--Accolades for your local efforts featured on our social media channels and in our e-news to inspire others;
--Highlights of your life-changing impact that can be shared on our monthly Advocates Chat with a guest appearance from your church or local organization;
--Scheduling a live chat with a WWB staffer or our Executive Director, Larraine Lauter, with your church or organization.
 
For more details, please contact Rebecca Stutsman, Chief Development Officer, at 502-749-5492. Thanks for sharing our compassionate and health-focused mission with others in your community!
We believe every child should be drinking clean water. Are you with us?
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