Meet Scott Harrison, Founder of charity: water

With water so weighty on our minds this Blue August, we were excited for the chance to speak to Scott Harrison, the young founder of the developing world's thirst-quenching non-profit, charity: water.

Perhaps the most wonderful thing about Scott's story is his almost movie-like, life-changing, party-promoting past turned pious. After 10 years of throwing music and fashion parties for the likes of MTV, VH1, ABC TV, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Universal Records, Bacardi and Anheuser-Busch, and living a lavish NYC life, a disgusted Scott made a return to his Christian faith and took a volunteer trip to Liberia, Africa.

He awoke to its desperate, water-less reality and came back determined to do something. So do something he did. charity: water is the by-product of Scott's experience with a mission to draw attention to the global water crisis and the 1.1 billion people without access to clean H2O. So far, it's worked. To date, the non-profit has raised more that $9.5 million, has funded more than 1300 water projects in 14 developing nations?altogether providing 700,000 people with safe, clean drinking water.

How did you get into this line of work?

The way everyone gets into charity work?through nightlife! I spent 10 years as a nightclub promoter in New York City. I lived selfishly and arrogantly, and at 28, returned to my Christian faith as a kid and left my sycophantic life in New York City to volunteer with humanitarian doctors and surgeons in West Africa. What I saw there changed me in many ways. I haven't stopped fighting to end extreme poverty since.

What was your "a-ha" moment?

Cotonou, Benin. My third day in Africa. 5:30 a.m. It was the first day of patient screening, where our volunteer doctors and surgeons would meet the people who came for help. I was told that it was an overwhelming experience, but I wasn't prepared for the 5,000+ people standing outside the stadium. They'd come from all over West Africa for about 1500 surgery slots, which meant 3500 of them would be turned away. The first boy I photographed was a child named Alfred. He was 14 years old and had a huge tumor. He was suffocating to death on his own face. I wasn't prepared for it.

Who is your green hero?

I've got so many friends doing important work. I'm a fan of David de Rothschild's work, the work of Celine and Fabien Cousteau, and your own Graham Hill.

What is your ultimate green goal?

I want to see a day where every single person on earth has access to clean and safe drinking water. I'll keep fighting until we get there.

What is your motivation?

You know, I'm personally motivated by my Christian faith. I read something in the book of James a long time ago, and it really stuck. James 1:27 says that true religion is two things. Looking after widows and orphans, and keeping yourself from being polluted by the world. That's what motivates me. Service to the poor, a relationship with God and trying to live with integrity.

What is most important to you, ecologically speaking? Our water resources on the planet. We have been so careless. We watch as companies suck water out of the ground, pillage aquifers, and then close up shop and move on. We watch as others pollute and get away with it.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The enormity of the problem we're trying to solve. Right now there are one billion people without access to clean, safe drinking water?a sixth of the world. A person dies of a water-related disease every 15 seconds. That's a big problem, but we are slowly making a dent. charity: water is about to turn three years old in September, and we're close to serving one million people. An impact for sure, but we've still got a long way to go. Epic scale is needed.

What is the most rewarding?

Seeing a child drink clean, safe drinking water for the first time. Knowing that moms are able to send their kids to school and get jobs because they have clean water. A very old woman recently met at a village in Ethiopia where we had funded a well. She had tears in her eyes. "The water" she said. "It's falling from the sky."

Of the people you have worked with, who impresses you most?

Our incredible designer and my fiancée, Viktoria. She has an amazing eye and great creativity. Not only has she built the brand, she's as comfortable trekking through rural Africa as she is sitting at her 30" monitor.

What green thing do you do everyday?

I drink tap water.

What do you wish you could do?

Scale faster.

What is your biggest eco-sin?

When we first started, charity: water sold $20 plastic water bottles to raise funds. We did raise awareness and use 100 percent of the money to build wells, but when we really learned about the industry, and its implications on the Earth, we went green this year. Now we don't sell charity: water any more, but have replaced it with an eco-friendly Thermos.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

I'd give everybody access to clean and safe drinking water, as well as access to proper hygiene and sanitation.

What is your best green advice?

Don't buy bottled water!

Change Makers is a series of interviews with people famous and obscure who are creating a more sustainable world through their work. Meet more Change Makers here.

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