Twitter community organise charity: water's global Twestival event
Charity: water holds fundraising event powered by micro-blogging site Twitter
Charity: water, a US based non profit organisation that provides clean drinking water to developing communities, is orchestrating a global initiative to raise funds and awareness for the cause.
Founded by Scott Harrison in 2006, charity: water has raised $8 million USD since its inception which has enabled them to fund over 1240 water projects in 14 countries. Using micro-blogging site
Twitter, charity: water aims to motivate the online collective into hosting multiple individual offline fundraising
Twestival events.
Harrison comments, ?(To date) we?ve given about 600,000 people access to clean and safe drinking water and we?re hoping with the Twestival to do much more. At charity: water we are honoured and proud that the Twitter community has come out and supported us again and again. From the donation application TipJoy to some of the power users who gave up their birthday and instead of asking for gifts, asked for donations. We?re in awe of how much excitement is already surrounding the Twestival.?
The
Twestival, to be held concurrently in over 175 cities around the world, will take place on 12 February 2009. Organised by volunteers in Twitter?s global community, the Twestival was born out of the idea that ?if cities were able to collaborate on an international scale, but working from a local level, it could have a spectacular impact.?
Charity: water is encouraging individual cities holding a Twestival event to consider setting a monetary fundraising target starting from $4,000 USD ? which charity: water says is enough to drill a basic well.
Jennifer Connelly in charity: water Public Service Announcement from charity: waterThe non-profit explains on its Twestival.com website, ?Those of us on Twitter know of its ability to organically create interesting communities from those people who find and follow each other. It is proven from the first Twestival that bringing the Twittersphere together for a special event is not only a memorable night; it has momentum to bring about social change.?
Each Twestival city organiser will be given their own microsite to update attendees on fundraising progress, details of the event as well as having the ability to write a blog and publish photo and video content. Each of these microsites have central controls that ensures the funds donated through the site go directly to charity: water.
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