Digital Bridges: How Technology Connects Donors to Water Projects
🎙️ This Week on The Heart of Giving: Christa Stelzmuller, Chief Technology Officer at Charity Water, reveals how innovative technology is transforming both global water access and donor engagement. Three illuminating moments: "10% of the world today lives without access, basic access to clean water. And that translates to over 700 million people... Basic access means water that is less than 30 minutes away that is clean and available for communities." "When you bring clean water to a community, you're impacting the health of that community. You're impacting the economic opportunity... You're impacting education... When women and girls are having to walk for water hours and hours a day, they miss out on school and they miss out on economic opportunity." "We use technology via in-person experiences... We have hologram boxes that introduce you to folks that we have met in various communities. And we also have a VR experience... Using VR has been super powerful to allow people to connect in a way that we wish we could put everyone on a plane." Last week, Kate Schecter of World Neighbors shared her organization's 73-year commitment to sustainable self-help across 14 countries. Her stories of community-led savings groups in East Timor and women breaking caste barriers in India illustrated how genuine development means empowering people to solve their own challenges. Don't miss this fascinating look at a proven model where dignity and local leadership drive lasting change. New episodes every Tuesday on YouTube and your favorite podcast platforms. Support the show at give.org. #HeartOfGiving #CleanWater #TechForGood #GlobalDevelopment