This month, Charity Water is turning two years old, and they’re launching the September birthday initiative to fund wells in Ethiopia. They’re asking everyone born in September to give up birthday presents and ask their friends and family for donations instead.

It all started last year when charity: water founder Scott Harrison was turning 32. He asked everyone he knew for $32 donations to build a well in Kenya, Africa in lieu of birthday gifts. He then asked everyone born in September to join him. In a remarkable seven weeks, $159,000 was raised and 100% of the money went to build water systems at 3 hospitals and 1 school.

In one month, Charity Water hopes to raise $1.5 million and build 333 wells in Ethiopia. This will serve 150,000 people with the most basic need, and greatly improve health and quality of life.

takepart and visit http://www.charitywater.org to help build wells by asking your friends and family for dollars instead of gifts this year. You can create a personal birthday page here and get the word out to your relatives and friends! Charity Water will keep a running total of your donations and 100% of the money will build wells in Ethiopia.

If you’re not born in September, you can still give $33 directly to charity: water for Scott’s birthday or give to strangers! You can search the borninseptember.com site by age, or last name. All donations raised will go to help people in need.