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Most
domain industry
participants are well aware of the life
saving work being done by the Water
School. For years now, a wide
array of domain service providers and
individual investors, led by current Water
School Executive Director Richard Lau
and long time WS board member |
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Gregg McNair, have supported the
provider of clean water solutions in
underdeveloped countries through their
donations and fund raising activities. We
now know for sure that others
recognize and fully appreciate what Water
School efforts have been able to
accomplish as well. The
STARS
Foundation, a Saudi
backed philanthropy fund,
based in London has presented Water
School Uganda with a 2013 Impact
Award that
comes with a $100,000 cash grant
and additional assistance components worth
over $20,000 more. In
2013 over 1,300 local organizations
from 60 countries applied for
Impact Award consideration and underwent
a rigorous selection process
developed with PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP. The award recognizes
and |
On
behalf of the Water School Uganda
team, Executive Director Zepha Mukalere
(left) receives the Stars Foundation
Impact Award from STARS Chief
Executive Muna Wehbe at a gala
ceremony held last week at Kensington
Palace in London. |
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rewards
effective, well managed local
organizations working to improve child
health, education, protection and WASH
(water, sanitation and hygiene in
countries with the highest rates of under
five child mortality). |
Uganda
has tragically high 9% child mortality
rate with of 90 deaths per 1000 children, so it
was in
dire need of the kind of help the Water School
has been able, through its generous donors, to
provide.
Water
School Canada's African Program Director, Tony
Woodruff, joins Water School Uganda's
Zepha Mukalere at Kensington Palace
to celebrate the organization's Impact Award
on behalf of the staff and supporters of the Water
School worldwide.
STARS
Founding Chairman Amr A. Al-Dabbagh said,
“STARS Foundation is committed to reaching 20
million children and their communities by 2020.
The only way we are going to do that is by
supporting ever-larger numbers of local organizations
doing incredible work on the ground. The
2013 Impact Award winners are beacons of
effective practice, offering inspiration to
other charities, and to us all.”
The
STARS Foundation was established by Al-Dabbagh
Group in 2001, and counts former U.S.
President Bill Clinton and Her Majesty Queen
Rania Al-Abdullah as its Founding Patrons.
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Water
School Director Gregg McNair noted,
“Whilst the board of Water School are very grateful for the recognition and financial assistance this award brings, we
realize it represents a |
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fraction of the annual budget needed for our vital work in Africa.
We therefore continue to look to the domain community for continued support of the upcoming
WaterNight
event that will be held during the NamesCon Conference in
Las Vegas, January 13-15, 2014."
At WaterNight (to be held at the Tropicana
Hotel Tuesday night, January 14,
from 8pm to midnight), domain
industry veterans Yancy Naughton
and Jothan Frakes will sacrifice
their hair for the cause in the annual WaterShave
‘ceremony’ (to donate you are
encouraged to visit WaterShave.org). |
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Jodi
Chamberlain, a former shavee herself,
is organizing sponsorship opportunities
for WaterNight for industry players
wanting the exposure and kudos associated
with supporting NamesCon's primary social
event. She can be contacted be emailing [email protected]. |
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