In 2015, I began working for a medical non-profit organization based in Lima, Peru that paired with underserved communities across the globe in their fight for equity in health, education, and infrastructure. Part of my role involved traveling and assisting with projects in Moshi, Tanzania. I began researching the communities I was traveling to and I quickly became aware of the water situation much of the country’s population faces. With each jaw-dropping statistic I read, I began to think twice each time I took a sip of water or brushed my teeth, realizing how I had always taken such a basic necessity for granted. So, I figured why not make a difference? 

I started putting all my efforts into fundraising and after a few months, I was flying to Tanzania to install water filters in a small village called Kilema, providing a total of 240 people with clean, safe water. Some people search their whole life for their life’s calling and I had found mine, working side by side with individuals across the world. I was internally flooded with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and joy. One older gentleman held my hand and said, “My family has always hoped for a day we would have clean water to drink. You may have two grandpas in America but now you will always have a third ‘babu’ in Tanzania.”

The donations I received during this time was a direct reflection of the generous people in my life and a beautiful portrayal of the compassionate world we live in. Amongst the donors was my very own elementary school. After returning from Tanzania, I made a special visit where I had once attended school as a child. I spent hours that day in classrooms answering inquisitive and thought provoking questions asked by young children, trying to understand how others in the world live. The project had become something much bigger to these children than a simple donation. It had brought awareness, compassion, and a sense of fulfillment to children and administrators alike in a way I had not realized. To my greatest surprise, the project not only impacted families less fortunate than ourselves in Tanzania but also the hearts and minds of children growing and learning about the realities of the world in which we live. The members of Oaks School #3 and Tanzania had been connected from 7,500 miles away. It was that day that sparked the idea to start The Maji Movement.

The Maji Movement is a non-profit organization that brings water filtration systems to rural areas of Tanzania by connecting these communities with schools in the United States. It was important to me to involve schools in our mission after my experience working with the students Oaks School #3 - children who, despite their age, were able to make a significant difference in the world. By involving schools, The Maji Movement engages children and youth in conversations about the global water crisis and allows them to become advocates for change. Students see the direct influence their efforts have as our projects become full circle, empowering them to continue making profound differences and helping others in ways they may have otherwise not thought possible.

Clean water is a privilege that much of the world takes for granted. Sometimes people just need an opportunity to make a difference, a little encouragement to help change the world, a sudden realization of how the other half of the world lives. Join our movement, and let’s show the world why maji matters, together.