In this corner of the world, the month of September caps off summer vacation and signals the beginning of another academic year. As children across the country return to their classrooms in droves, there is one thing students and their families take for granted: access to clean water. Given the myriad of educational challenges our public school system is currently facing, access to clean water in schools may seem like a minor issue. But it isn’t.

In communities all across the world, children attend schools where there is no water. That means there are no bathrooms, no sinks in which to wash their hands, and no fountains from which to drink. Millions of children walk for hours each day just to collect water for their families, leaving little time and energy left to attend school. Worse still—the water they collect is often dirty and the source of disease causing bacteria. Children with limitless potential end up falling so far behind in their studies that they drop out of school. Many never return.

Three years ago, a non profit group called Charity: Water was formed to tackle a solvable problem: helping more than one billion people in developing nations gain access to clean water.

Check out their amazing story here:

This fall, Charity: Water is launching a new campaign called Water for Schools with the goal of bringing clean and safe drinking water, private latrines, and hand-washing stations to at least 100 schools in developing nations during the next 12 months.

In order to do this, they need to raise $2 million. Translation: they need our help.

Although the campaign is geared towards students, you don’t need to be a student to raise funds for schools. They’ve created a special online kit to provide you with all the tools you need to get started.

If you are a student, teacher, school or group leader, Water for Schools has a website to teach you how to start a campaign. If you are a parent, click here to teach your children more about this important issue and encourage them to sign up.

Charity: Water has another website called Born in September with more fundraising ideas for how you can help. My personal favorite: on your next birthday, ask friends and family to give you your age in dollars instead of a gift, and donate that money to bring clean water to those in need.

By providing children in developing nations with access to clean water, Water for Schools will give them a chance to improve their health, attend school, become educated, and end a devastating cycle of generational poverty. For these children, clean water will mean a better quality of life, and most importantly, hope for a brighter future.