Charity: Water is a non-profit organization that brings clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations with water projects located in 22 different countries.

The non-profit’s creative director, Cubby Graham, educates students on the water crisis around the world. He came to TCU on Tuesday to tell students about the non-profit.

“It doesn’t matter if you come from a super small town with two stoplights or a big city–every single one of us has the ability to make a change,” Graham said to the audience Tuesday evening.

Junior secondary education major Natalie Kasling said that 4,500 children die everyday from water disease, and the water crisis is “clearly so oblivious by so many people.”

“[Graham’s] drive is motivating. His desire to change the world reflected so well to the audience and it was clear that something needed to be done,” she said.

Graham invited the students to change the world along side him instead of simply informing them students about the water crisis.

“This presentation was so inspirational. I already have a ton of ideas brewing in my head about how to make a change,” senior strategic communication major Hayley Votolato said.

In Africa, people spend 40 billion hours every year walking for water. Graham said 17 volunteers have raised money by walking across the United States.

“The craziest thing we could ever do is nothing,” Graham said. “It’s one thing to learn and to gain knowledge; but it’s another thing to take action.”

The non-profit has a web campaign that asks people to “pledge” their birthdays to gather donations to build water wells instead of receiving personal gifts.

Kasling raised $7,398.43 directed towards the country of Ethiopia.

Kasling traveled to Ethiopia in the summer of 2012 to assist with clean water projects. She said many of the villagers were aware the water they drank might kill them, but they said they would rather drink it than die of dehydration.

“For my birthday I didn’t want presents, I didn’t want to go to nice dinners, I didn’t want anything special. I just asked for twenty dollars,” Kasling said.

Through social media, Kasling spread the word about her birthday campaign. She received donations from complete strangers and raised $1,000 in a single day.

“This meant the world to me, it has changed my life,” Kasling said. “Because of my birthday, people in Ethiopia now have clean drinking water. What’s better than that?” she asked.

“I wanted to leave a legacy and do something else besides have a birthday party that people will eventually forget. I will never forget this, and more importantly, neither will the people of Ethiopia,” Kasling said.