One Family's Ripple Effect

Shout out to the Sorenson Family

Two years ago Todd and Holly Sorenson decided that they wanted to do what they could to help. Their family’s service came in the form of monthly donations to WHOlives’ ripple effect campaign. So far the Sorenson’s contributions have given water to over 300 East African children in need.

Todd believes that, “Very few things are as worthwhile” as what their gift is accomplishing.  Giving clean water to families not only improves overall health, it also opens up new opportunities for these communities.

Children are now able to spend their time in school, instead of traveling miles each day to find dirty water.

                                                  

Families are now able to invest their money in new businesses and higher standards of living, rather than on hospital bills.

We’d like to thank the Sorenson’s for their selfless contribution. The clean water they have created is not only saving lives, but also generating ripple effects throughout those communities.

How a family vacation ending up saving and improving thousands of lives.

When Dr. Barker and his wife Heidi were looking for a family trip recently, they decided to do something a little less conventional. Having already donated a Village Drill rig to Kenya which has helped thousands of school kids get clean water, they decided to go on a WHOlives expedition, "We were looking for an experience that could show our children a different perspective on life and demonstrate the simplicity in which a vast majority of the world’s population lives."

Dr. Barker, an orthopedic surgeon in Everett Washington, spent two years living in Zimbabwe and South Africa as a missionary in the mid-eighties and is well aware of the stark contrast between the quality of life for most Americans and those who live in developing areas of the world and wanted his children to have a similar experience.

The Barkers took their 3 children with them,  Max 16, Gretchen 14 and Sofia 8 and family friend Steven19.

 When asked about some of the highlights from their trip Dr. Barker mentioned, "Just seeing the women draw dirty water from watering holes shared by wild animals, to having an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with orphaned elephants at a refuge park." In all, the Barkers and their children had a once in a lifetime experience that instilled in them a deeper gratitude and greater empathy for those living in poverty.

WHOlives is grateful that the world still has people like Barkers who are selfless and conscientious, and whose generosity has brought clean water, improved health and new opportunity to several thousand people and counting.