Nearly 663 million people worldwide lack access to clean water and another 2.4 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation. The Atlanta chapter of the non-profit Wine to Water is devoted to fighting this global crisis. Lassiter grad (Class of 2013), Ashley Brown, is the social media volunteer for Water to Wine’s Atlanta chapter. Part of her duties is raising awareness about global water access by bringing together Atlantans who want to help with wine tasting fundraisers, as well as coordinating volunteer trips to Wine to Water’s various overseas projects.
In fact, Ashley recently returned from a two week trip to Nepal to help bring clean water access to the villages of Kalyanpur. During the trip, Ashley and her team built retaining walls, dug trenches, laid piping and made other improvements for the drinking water of Kalyanpur.
Initially, Ashley thought she would just be helping to provide access to clean drinking water to the village, but she could have never anticipated what she learned and gained during her time in Kaylanpur. “I truly believe that water was just the bridge connecting people from different sides of the Earth together. Water allowed us to empower each other and encourage each other,” Ashley says.
Ashley says that she hopes to continue her work and travels with Wine to Water. She is currently on track to become a trip leader, which would put her in charge of planning more trips to help bring clean drinking water to other communities.
“I want to bring and lead people to volunteer for Wine to Water and show them what I felt in Nepal. I believe it is so important to see other cultures. It changes your outlook and perspective and makes you appreciate other cultures, as well,” Ashley says. “Wine to Water has changed my life. It has given me joy I never knew existed.”
If you are passionate about helping those in need of clean water, visit winetowater.org or email Ashley Brown at ashleyrbrown08@gmail.com.
This article was written by Hannah Greco and originally appeared in the January issue of EAST COBBER, on pages 12. Click here to view the digital edition.
