From a life of decadent pleasures to a mission of redemption, Scott Harrison shares his journey from nightclub promoter to charity founder. His experiences in West Africa led him to dedicate his life to solving the global water crisis. With over $750 million raised, charity: water has impacted over 17.4 million people. A story of transformation, service, and finding fulfillment through giving back.
Scott Harrison's journey highlights the transformative power of service over material indulgence.
Charity Water's unique financial strategy ensures 100% of public donations directly fund clean water projects.
Deep dives
The Journey to Charity Water: Finding Purpose Through Service
Scott Harrison, the founder of Charity Water, shares his deeply personal journey from a hedonistic and selfish lifestyle to a life of service. His transformative experience, triggered by a near-death incident, led him to dedicate his life to providing clean water to those in need. The story of Rachel Beckwith, a young girl who donated her birthday to Charity Water and posthumously raised over $1.3 million, exemplifies the power of simple acts of kindness and the profound impact they can have.
The Unique Model of Charity Water: Ensuring Transparency and Impact
Charity Water's distinctive approach of using separate bank accounts for donations and overhead costs ensures that 100% of public donations go directly to funding clean water projects. By engaging wealthy individuals to cover overhead expenses, donors are reassured that their contributions have a tangible impact. The organization's commitment to transparency includes providing proof of the outcomes of each project, enabling donors to track and witness the results of their generosity.
Donating Birthdays: Inspiring Generosity and Collective Action
The concept of donating birthdays to Charity Water, where individuals request donations instead of gifts, has sparked a global movement of giving. By encouraging people, especially children, to raise funds through their birthdays, Charity Water has empowered communities to come together in support of a common cause. Rachel Beckwith's story exemplifies how a simple act of kindness can ripple out, inspiring countless others to make a difference.
The Endless Pursuit of Service: A Call to Action Beyond Charity Water
Scott Harrison's unwavering dedication to service highlights the lasting impact of a life devoted to helping others. His vision extends beyond addressing the global water crisis, emphasizing that the joy of service surpasses the temporary thrills of material success. The ethos of continuous service, never reaching a final goal but persistently seeking ways to alleviate suffering, embodies a lifelong commitment to making the world a better place.
Life as a nightclub promoter in New York City was an unending cycle of drinking, drugs, models, and fast cars. After ten years, Scott Harrison's vices caught up with him, and a health scare forced him to reflect on his life.
Scott felt decadent, wasteful, and morally bankrupt. He decided to completely reverse course. Scott spent the next 2 years in West Africa on board a nonprofit hospital ship, where he saw a level of human suffering that led him to his true calling.
Today, solving the global water crisis is Scott's life's work, and he's built one of the most trusted nonprofits in the world to do just that. His organization charity: water has raised over $750 million, helping more than 17.4 million people access clean drinking water.
Scott shares with me the painful road that led to his transformation and why living a life of service can be a path toward redemption.
This...is A Bit of Optimism
If you would like to help solve the global water crisis, visit: