30-year-old Doc Hendley is not your average bartender. As he pours wine in Raleigh, North Carolina, he’s also helping to save thousands of lives on the other side of the world — and he’s tapped into his regulars to help. That something is “Wine to Water”, Doc’s organization that provides clean water to people in developing countries through funds raised at wine tasting events.
Since 2004, Doc has traveled to Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Cambodia, working with local communities to build clean water wells and sanitation systems. He first learned about the world’s water crisis when he took a break from college, and his job as a bar-keep, to travel the world; he hoped it would ground his education and provide some direction. It did.
At least one in six people worldwide lack access to adequate amounts of safe water for drinking and hygiene, according to the UN. This contributes to diarrhea, the leading cause of illness and death, and translates to 1.5 million preventable deaths each year.
After returning to school, Doc realized that just by using his ability to bartend and create relationships with people, he might be able to help the problem. He approached a local contact, Kenny Isaacs of Samaritan’s Purse, with the intention of handing over the funds for their international charitable water projects. Instead, Docfound himself in Sudan in the spring of 2004, training to oversee water projects and developing and installing water systems in zones deemed too dangerous for United Nations aide workers — all in the midst of civil war.
To date, Doc’s group has worked in five developing countries, including India, bringing safe drinking water to more than 25,000 individuals in refugee camps, orphanages, schools, hospitals and a leper colony, as well as directly into hundreds of homes through the installation of bio-sand filters. Video Watch how Hendley is changing lives around the world ยป
In the face of the overwhelming global crisis, Doc recently shared his story with CNN.com…
