Event hosted by Suits star Meghan Markle brings clean water to children

On World Water Day, March 22, hope-filled paintings created by students in Rwanda raised enough money to help World Vision build a well. The paintings were the focus of the Watercolour Project event, hosted by actor and activist Meghan Markle at LUMAS gallery in Toronto. World Vision was also proud to announce Meghan Markle is a newly appointed Global Ambassador for the organization.

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Markle travelled to Rwanda last month with World Vision to see first-hand the importance of clean water. While visiting a school in the Gasabo region of the country she taught students to paint with watercolours, using water from a newly installed pipeline in their community. The students created pictures based on their hopes and futures, which are now brighter because of the recent access to clean water. The painting session was captured by photographer Gabor Jurina.

Markle brought the paintings back to Canada to share the student artists' stories and raise enough money to support additional water projects with World Vision.
The Watercolour Project was helmed by advertising agency KBS.  The event was attended by more than 60 guests. In total $15,000 was raised at the event, enough to help World Vision build a new source of water for an entire community.

Quotes:
"I think there's a misconception that access to clean water is just about clean drinking water; which, of course, it is but it's so much more than that. Access to clean water in a community keeps young girls in school, because they aren't walking hours each day to source water for their families. It allows women to invest in their own businesses and community. It promotes grassroots leadership, and, of course, it reinforces the health and wellness of children and adults. Every single piece of it is so interconnected, and clean water, this one life source, is the key to it all."

"It was an amazing experience, taking water from one of the water sources in the community and using it with the children to paint pictures of what they dream to be when they grow up.  I saw that water is not just a life source for a community, but it can really be a source for creative imagination, and how lucky I am to have been a part of that."

- Meghan Markle, actor and World Vision Global Ambassador, creator of the Watercolour Project
"We are delighted to have Meghan Markle represent us as our newest World Vision Global Ambassador. Her passion for global issues, and making a difference in the lives of children and women, is inspirational."

- Lara Dewar, Chief Marketing and Development Officer, World Vision Canada

Quick Facts:

• The Watercolour Project event, hosted by Meghan Markle, raised enough money to help build a well
• Meghan Markle is a newly appointed World Vision Global Ambassador
• There are 663 million people globally who lack access to clean water
• World Vision is a leading NGO provider of clean water in developing countries, reaching a new person with clean water every 30 seconds.

What Canadians can do:
Visit www.worldvision.ca to make clean water possible for more children and communities around the globe.

SOURCE World Vision Canada