WellWishers: Such a Brilliantly Named B1G1 Worthy Cause

by Elvin Monica

How do you get water to 30,000 PLUS people and change their lives? WellWishers make it happen.

The Awakening: How WellWishers Began

The story of WellWishers begins with a profound middle-of-the-night experience. During the devastating Ethiopian famine of 1984, Graham Romanes traveled to Northern Ethiopia's Tigray region, staying in rural villages to witness conditions firsthand.

What he observed would change his life forever.

At two o'clock in the morning, I heard the woman of the household get up with her pot," Graham recalls. "At seven o'clock in the morning, she arrived back with one of these pots, full of water.

This woman had spent five hours traveling down into a valley to collect water and climbing back up again—a grueling journey that local women undertook regularly. The consequences were often devastating: broken limbs from falls, attacks by wild animals, and endless hours of labor that could have been spent on education or supporting their families.

The impact on women is enormous," Graham explains. "Women fell and broke a leg, were attacked by hyenas. It was really just a horrendous story.

That's when he knew: "We've got to do something about this."

A Practical Solution: Building Wells, Building Hope

What makes WellWishers unique is their practical, community-centered approach. Rather than implementing temporary fixes, the organization focuses on sustainable solutions that empower local communities.

The WellWishers model involves:

  1. Training local well-construction technicians
  2. Building wells closer to villages (reducing water collection journeys from hours to minutes)
  3. Establishing Water And Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) committees in each village
  4. Ensuring women's leadership (at least three of six committee members must be women)
  5. Implementing hygiene programs alongside water access

Each well takes approximately three months to complete, but the impact lasts for generations. As one Ethiopian woman told Graham: "This is our medicine." Clean water dramatically reduces waterborne illnesses that previously sent villagers to clinics repeatedly for diarrhea and other preventable conditions.

Women at the Center of Change

Women are at the heart of WellWishers' mission. Not only do they benefit most directly from accessible water sources, but they also drive the program's sustainability.

I want to emphasize the importance of women in this project," Graham notes, "because it's women whose main concern is keeping their families healthy.

The impact extends beyond health. When girls no longer spend hours collecting water, they can attend school. Mothers often emphasize how access to clean water "releases their daughters for education."

The B1G1 Partnership: Amplifying Impact

Through their partnership with B1G1, WellWishers has expanded their reach exponentially. Graham proudly shares the numbers:

It's just such a privilege to be part of B1G1 Worthy Cause. Because it has provided permanent clean water supply in 105 villages, that’s 30,450 rural Ethiopians because of our relationship that we have with B1G1.

This collaboration exemplifies how business giving can create meaningful, lasting change when directed toward well-organized initiatives with deep local roots.

A Multi-Layered Partnership Approach

WellWishers doesn't operate in isolation. Their success stems from strong partnerships at multiple levels:

  • Partnership with local Ethiopian organizations that understand the terrain and culture
  • Partnership with village WASH committees that maintain the wells
  • Partnership with B1G1 that connects businesses wanting to make a difference
  • Partnership with donors who trust in their proven approach

"The partnerships are just so important for us in this whole program," Graham emphasizes.

Beyond Water: A Holistic Approach to Health

The WellWishers program extends beyond just providing water access. Each participating household must also establish a toilet system with handwashing facilities, creating a comprehensive hygiene program that multiplies the health benefits.

This holistic approach recognizes that clean water is just one component of community wellbeing—proper sanitation and hygiene education complete the picture.

Join the Journey

WellWishers demonstrates how focused efforts on a fundamental human need—clean water—can transform entire communities. Through their partnerships and practical approach, they've created a model that delivers lasting change.

As Graham reflects,

We are just one Worthy Cause, there are so many beautiful Worthy Causes in B1G1. What a great opportunity it is to just sit and choose between those causes. You set and decide what your own priorities are, and what your own business would like to support.

Whether through B1G1 or direct support, WellWishers continues to turn the simple act of providing clean water into a cascade of positive changes for rural Ethiopian communities.

To learn more about WellWishers project or to support their work, visit b1g1.com.