I was in church several months ago when we had a speaker named Scott Harrison, founder of Charity:water come and speak to us. He spoke about how he used his skills as a photographer to bring awareness to an urgent need amongst persons in developing nations who don’t have access to clean water. So, of course, I contacted their offices and first tried to get them to upload documents (haha…I’m such a freak), and then ended up getting in touch with Nicky Yates, Executive Assistant/Operations for charity:water
So, without further ado, here is the interview…

So, Miss Yates, tell us about a bit about yourself.
I’m from a large family in Alabama, the middle child of 5. We moved around a bit, but we’re a really tight-knit family. After high school, I traveled to Namibia and Kazakhstan. I then went to college out in Tulsa, Oklahoma and then to graduate school here at NYU. I studied forensic psychology, focusing
on traumatology. While completing my master’s degree, I worked as a Child Victim Specialist with the New York County District Attorney’s Office.

Tell the readers of girlatastartup about how you got involved with charity:water
First, here is Scott’s story
This will elaborate on how and why charity: water was started.

As for me, I traveled to rural Namibia right out of high school. It was a community development mission trip. We went there to help raise awareness about the AIDS situation, but we wanted to really get to know the culture and the community first. We spent a good chunk of our time helping with daily tasks. As a woman, I assisted the other women in the community with getting their daily water from the British Embassy about a mile away. We weren’t allowed to shower but once a week and for five minutes due to the water situation. It just blew my mind. I was used to 45 minute baths everyday, sometimes twice a day. I never thought about the fact that this could be something that someone didn¹t have.

The next summer I went to Almaty, Kazakhstan, again for community development. The people were amazing. I stayed with a host family for about 2 months, helping teach English and develop a sports camp. This time I was staying in an urban area, but we still didn’t have water to spare. We’d have
to heat up a bucket of water for the entire household’s showering needs. And we were permitted a kettle’s worth of water a day for other hygiene and sanitation purposes. These two experiences were probably the most enlightening of my life. I learned so much about myself and how to love like
my God does. During these two trips, I realized that while I grew up below the poverty line, I had more than I could ever need. I became really grateful for the little things that were provided everyday for me. I came back, and I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to actively helping others.

I studied psychology and then focused in on forensic psychology. I loved the area of traumatology, as it allowed me to work in crisis situations and help those deal with the traumas that occurred in their lives. So, I joined the New York County District Attorney¹s Office and worked with child victims. It
was so rewarding, but the call of Africa wouldn¹t stop.

I heard about Scott and his vision after he came back from his travels with Mercy Ships. He was putting on an event to help raise awareness and funds for the organization. One of my close friends had read his story in Relevant Magazine and let me know he was looking for volunteers. I went, helped out and loved it. So, when Scott started up charity: water, I was on his email list. I heard it’s mission and knew I wanted to be a part. I started out slowly and sporadically volunteering. The more I got involved, the more I wanted to be involved. The grassroots effort, the hip vibe, the passion, and
the genuine, personal nature of the people and organization really drew me in.

How big of a role does technology play in building wells in developing countries and in getting the word out about charity water, as well as for charities in general?

Our culture is saturated in media. So, we use that as the primary mode of communicating the need and solution. Our designer works hard to make our website the best it can be and illustrative of the global water crisis, yet engaging. We also utilize GPS and Google Earth to show every donor where they money has gone once projects are completed. Furthermore, Scott is highly skilled in photography, so we take his talents and use them to show the individuals that are affected by this.

Facebook and MySpace and other social networking tools are quickly becoming great mediums to connect people and raise awareness. I think that these platforms will be huge for charities now and in the near future.

Social media for social awareness. Nice. So, what is the biggest need right now, in terms of charities and non-profit work, considering the global food crisis and all the other environmental
issues that are happening as we speak?

Well, there’s not a definitive answer to this. We feel that water is a crucial issue. There’s the direct health costs that are affected. With clean water, individuals no longer have to drink contaminated water that will make them sick. Their health improves. They miss fewer days of school and work
both due to the improved health and having to walk less to obtain water. This increases education and productivity, both of which have economic influences. Furthermore, by providing clean and safe drinking water, women and children are at a lower risk of being attacked when fetching water from
far distances. So, for us, providing clean and safe water creates a domino effect and has an impact on other needs.

The work you’re doing is pretty awe-inspiring. So, please tell us who inspires you and why?

My faith is a huge inspiration to me. It’s what keeps me going and motivated. I would easily say that this is the biggest inspiration in my life. When I feel frustrated or overwhelmed, I know that Jesus is there it guide me through it, as cliché as that sounds. But in all honesty, when trying to provide 1.1 billion people with water, the job can seem more than gargantuan. And my faith helps me handle it and know that what I’m doing can make a lasting difference.

Did you have a mentor in non-profits? What was the moment that made you stand up and say that you wanted to devote your life to charity: water?

I did not have a mentor in nonprofits. But I realized in August of 2007 that I wanted to really devote my time to something more tangible and international. I started looking at various opportunities and came on as a volunteer with charity: water that November. I came on fulltime in January.

You must have seen some heart-wrenching images in your travels. How do you remain positive that change can happen?

This is really the area that my faith helps with. We see the bad. We see how horrible it is to be in these conditions and we can’t help everyone right now. But we also see the good. Seeing a 90-year-old woman drink clean water for the first time is something you never forget…

I continue to be awe-struck. And last but not least, do you want to plug anything?

Our next focus is our September campaign. We’re looking to provide 333 communities in Ethiopia with clean, safe drinking water. We’ll need $1.5 million raised. It’s a huge goal, and we’re looking to accomplish it by inviting individuals who were born in September to give up birthday presents
for this year. Instead of gifts, we’re asking their friends and families for donations equivalent to their age. We’ll have 33 communities on our site, each with a different story and video. We’ll be traveling to Ethiopia in September to video the drilling process as it starts.

We’re also expanding to Honduras this summer, and I’ll be out in Honduras for a week to view some communities. After that, we’ll be focusing on our 3rd annual charity: ball here in New York.

Thanks so much for doing the interview, Nicky. We need more people like you in this world.
And check out pics from last year’s charity:water ball with celebs such as Adrien Grenier and model Jessica Stam.