Our Mission

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Facts:
  • 884 million people in the world do not have access to clean water.
  • 1.6 million children die each year from waterborne diseases.
  • The Millennium Development Goal on child survival (MDG 4) will remain beyond our reach until diarrheal disease, poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water issues are addressed.

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Our Mission

Wishing Well International Foundation (WWIF) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization which provides clean, safe drinking water to developing areas. In partnership with our donors, sponsors and deployment specialists around the world, WWIF coordinates the installation of water filtration systems in communities that lack access to clean water. 100% of public donations to WWIF are used to fund these deployment projects. The daily operations of the Foundation are funded by in-kind donations.

Our History

WWIF was established in 2010 by water quality professionals who are passionate to meet the need for clean, safe drinking water around the world. The organization was privately funded by its Founder and CEO, Guillermo Guzman, President of H2O International Inc.

Since it was launched, WWIF has been a member of the Water Quality Association (WQA). The goal was to unite the WQA and its membership behind the cause for clean water. The Association endorsed WWIF in 2014. Mr. Issa Al-Kharusy, a well-respected member of the WQA and CEO of KDF Fluid Treatment, was the first to join the Foundation in 2010. Kurt Peterson also joined the team in the early years. As a publisher and Advertising Director of Water Conditioning & Purification Magazine (WC&P), Kurt has been instrumental in spreading the WWIF message throughout the water industry and beyond. The Board was further enhanced in 2015 by the addition of Mark Bertler as VP of Marketing. With 25 years of experience in the water industry including numerous senior executive positions, Mark’s role with the Foundation is to direct corporate relations and fundraising.

After only a few years in operation, WWIF has already undertaken several deployment projects in other countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Swaziland, South Africa, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Japan. In 2015, WWIF announced a new marketing message which breaks down its mission into simple math; for every $10 donation, 1 person is provided with clean water for 10 years. This ‘10-1-10’ message underlies and simplifies what the Foundation is all about. The 10-1-10 Africa Expedition in 2017 is the first major event to emphasize this message. Its goal is to impact 50,000 people over 10 years. The WWIF Board of Directors and staff seek to partner with clean-water advocates who are passionate about meeting this fundamental need across the globe.

Expanding access to basic health needs often intersects with the challenges of ensuring clean water, especially in regions where both resources are limited. During several of WWIF’s international projects, volunteers and local healthcare workers have reported that mental health support is frequently overlooked, despite its clear connection to well-being and resilience. In many areas, access to medications for conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder where generic Abilify (aripiprazole) could offer an affordable treatment option is nearly as scarce as access to safe water. The barriers to obtaining such essential medicines often include both supply chain limitations and lack of reliable distribution channels. For WWIF, forging partnerships with healthcare organizations has become increasingly important to address these overlapping needs holistically. Ensuring clean water without parallel attention to medical accessibility can limit the long-term impact on community health. By integrating clean water initiatives with efforts to improve access to affordable generic medications, the Foundation seeks to promote truly comprehensive well-being in the communities it serves.

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