THANK YOU – WE DID IT!!

As the fundraising part of The Happiness Run for Clean Water and Gender Equality comes to a close, I’m feeling deeply grateful and incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together.

For 21 days, I walked or ran 6 km each day to honour the journey that so many women and girls around the world must make, often in unsafe conditions, just to access water. While my route was safe, supported, and symbolic, theirs is one of necessity. This experience has made me even more aware of the privilege I hold, living in a place where clean water is available with the turn of a tap. I’m more committed than ever to advocating for the basic human rights of clean water and gender equality.

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of so many, including those who donated money and bottles, joined me on runs and walks, sat down for interviews, and followed along on my blog and Facebook, I never once felt like I was doing this alone. Your support made every step more meaningful, and I’m thrilled to share that I’ve deposited $2,972.30 into the NSCC Enactus Happiness Project account!

I’ll be announcing the grand total of this fundraiser as soon as I receive confirmation of all donations made directly through the NSCC Foundation fundraising page (likely on June 18). I’m confident that, together, we’ve met and surpassed the original goal.

What this means is truly exciting: a NanoFilter Water Center will soon be built in a Tanzanian community where it’s needed most. I will work with Ruth to ensure it is near a school or orphanage to ensure children and youth have access to clean water and education. Even more inspiring, a female entrepreneur will be trained and empowered to operate and maintain the water center, creating sustainable impact for both her and her community.

Any additional funds raised beyond what’s required for the water center will be reinvested in the women already involved in the Happiness Project to help them purchase supplies and grow their businesses. When I spoke with Ruth during our interview, I learned that many women face significant challenges accessing the capital they need to expand their income-generating activities. Our support will help change that.

To celebrate, I placed the names of everyone who donated to this project into a basket and drew a winner for a beautiful, authentic Maasai shuka, handmade and purchased from the women of the Happiness Project. Congratulations to Troy Greene! We’ll make sure your gift gets to you as soon as possible.

While the fundraising part of this project is coming to an end, the journey isn’t over. I’ll continue to post updates, photos, and news as the water center is established and the entrepreneur begins her training. My mom and I will also be meeting with Ruth soon to keep the momentum going and continue the planning behind the scenes to ensure the center is up and running as soon as possible.

During the closing ceremonies of the original Happiness Project in 2018, one of the Tanzanian students, when speaking about learning how a shift in perspective can turn challenges into opportunities, shared this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr.:

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

This project was my small thing. Thank you for helping me do it in a great way.

From the bottom of my heart: thank you for showing up, cheering me on, and helping to create change that ripples far beyond what we can see.

#WeAllWin 💙
~ Olivia