On Aug. 16, Water for People’s CEO Ned Breslin will begin a 16,763-ft trek up Mt. Stanley in Uganda in connection with Challenge21’s Everyone Commitment, an initiative to create awareness and widespread support for programmatic principles designed to reach everyone with sustainable water and sanitation development solutions.
The climb is a continuation of Water for People’s ongoing efforts to establish creative and collaborative solutions that allow people to build, operate and maintain their own reliable safe water and sanitation systems.
The Everyone Commitment is comprised of four underlying principles, all of which ensure that everyone has access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation conditions:

• Everyone must have access to safe water and sanitation—even the poorest and most isolated—to stay healthy and for economic development to flourish.
• Water and sanitation solutions must last into the future with services expanding as populations grow. Future generations should benefit from today’s changes.
• Local ownership is essential to sustainability. The government, community organizations, local businesses and community members must contribute financially and ensure there are sufficient resources for implementation, maintenance and system expansion.
• Water and sanitation development organizations have significant impact on people’s lives and all stakeholders must be accountable through ongoing monitoring of programs and projects.

Breslin will join Jake Norton, a renowned mountain climber and Challenge21 co-founder, who will be leading the expedition up Mt. Stanley. The climb is the launch of Norton’s goal to climb the Triple Seven Summits—the three highest peaks on each continent, one of which is Mt. Stanley—in an effort to combat the world’s pressing development needs for water and sanitation.
Water for People is Challenge21’s official partner. During the next three to four years, Challenge21 plans to raise at least $2.1 million for the organization and engage 2.1 million people in recognizing and solving the global water and sanitation crisis.