Water Mission, formerly called Water Missions International, is a nonprofit Christian group that uses engineering skills to help people. The organization's main office is in North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. There, it designs, builds, and carries out safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions for communities in developing countries and areas affected by disasters. Water Mission hosts the Walk For Water, a yearly event to raise money. In 2019, the event had five thousand participants.
Water Mission aims to address the global water crisis. In 2020, the organization helped 1.1 million people gain access to safe water. Overall, it has provided clean water to more than seven million people across 57 countries. The group has completed 2,800 water projects and employs over 400 staff members who work in ongoing programs in Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
History
In 1998, George and Molly Greene led General Engineering Laboratories in helping Honduras after Hurricane Mitch caused serious damage. The company created, built, and sent six drinking water treatment units. Each unit could produce 10 gallons of safe drinking water every minute. Sixteen company volunteers traveled to faraway areas of Honduras within three weeks to install these units. This first project was named "Project Living Water," and the water treatment unit became known as the Living Water Treatment System (LWTS). Later, the company helped after the 2015 Nepal earthquake by installing Living Water Treatment Systems and Erosion Chlorinators in many places across Kathmandu and nearby regions.
From this work, Water Mission was created. George and Molly later sold General Engineering Laboratories, and Water Missions International was officially formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2001. Today, Water Mission International has programs in countries including Belize, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, and Uganda, with full-time staff in each location. In 2004, Water Mission sent more than 100 purification systems to Indonesia and Sri Lanka after a deadly tsunami, helping provide clean water to hundreds of thousands of people. The organization also helped after the 2010 Haiti earthquake by installing Living Water Treatment Systems and Erosion Chlorinators in many areas of Port-au-Prince and nearby regions.