The Foundation grew from the passion and courage of one 6-year-old boy, Ryan Hreljac. Ryan was inspired to take action as a grade one student when he learned of the devastating consequences for people without access to safe drinking water. He was remarkably determined as he succeeded in rallying his community to help him raise the funds needed to build one well in Uganda, Africa – one well that has changed everything. Now, more than 20 years later, Ryan’s Well Foundation is a team of people committed to providing access to safe water and sanitation as an essential way to improve lives in the developing world. We also educate people about the importance of accessing safe water and sanitation services, and look to motivate people of all ages to take action and effect positive change in the world.
My story is really very simple.
One day in January 1998, I was sitting in my Grade One classroom. My teacher, Mrs. Prest, explained that people were sick and some were even dying because they didn’t have clean water. She told us that some people walked for hours in Africa and sometimes it was just to get dirty water.
All I had to do was take 10 steps from my classroom to get to the drinking fountain and I had clean water. Before that day in school, I figured everyone lived like me. When I found out this wasn’t the case, I decided I had to do something about it.
So, I went home and begged my mom and dad to help. After a few days, they told me I could do extra chores to earn the $70 I thought would build a well. I thought that’s all it would take to solve the world’s water problem. I worked for four months to earn my first $70. Then I learned that it was actually going to cost $2,000 to build a well in a place like Uganda. I also learned that the problem was way bigger than I realized.
I started speaking to service clubs, school classes, to anyone who would listen to my story so that I could raise money for my first well at Angolo Primary School in Uganda. That’s how my little Grade One project became Ryan’s Well Foundation.
I attended University of King’s College in Halifax on the east coast of Canada and graduated in 2014 with a Double Major in International Development and Political Science. I returned to the Foundation as a Project Manager and I am now the Executive Director. I speak around the world on water issues and the importance of making a difference no matter who you are or how old you are.
My work would not have happened without the support of my family and friends. My Ugandan pen pal, Jimmy Akana, who I met on my first trip to Uganda, is now a member of our family. Jimmy is an inspiration because he works hard and has a positive outlook. He always has a great big smile.
My advice to anyone is that, in order to make a positive change in the world, you need to find something you are passionate about and then you need to take steps to act. For me, the issue is water and sanitation.
Water is essential to all life. I hope my story is a reminder that we can all make a difference – it applies to each and every one of us.
