Global Fellows

Water1st Global Fellows are selected to participate in a global development seminar in our project communities.

Application

Our 2021-22 program is currently on hold until we can safely resume international travel. If you are interested in learning more about this program please contact us.

Program Overview

Water1st Global Fellows are a select group of high school students who participate in an intensive global development seminar in our project communities.

The Global Fellows program was developed to expose the next generation of global leaders to the complexities of poverty and the importance of a community-led philosophy of development with the intent to encourage effective collaborative development strategies moving forward.

Global Fellows are leaders who are motivated to make an impact on one of the world’s biggest problems; they are collaborative, adaptive, and self-aware.

Our curriculum prepares students for a seminar in communities impacted by extreme poverty in Bangladesh and Honduras, and includes resources and guidance to support the analytical thinking process around the topic of global development. Global Fellows learn the importance of entering project communities with respect, humility, and a willingness to listen and learn from people who understand their needs best. Students will gain a new perspective and a powerful voice to advocate for the people they meet who need safe water.

Bangladesh

What do parents of alums say?

My son is a two-time participant in the Global Fellows program and I can’t overstate how impactful these experiences were for him. He gained valuable insight into the complexities of global development and came home a much stronger and wiser advocate for those he met. He benefited from the confidence gained through independent travel but more than anything, he grew as a person and friend through deep connection with the other teens and adults on the journey. I will always be grateful for the amazing opportunity that Water1st entrusted to my son. I believe he will look back on it as one of the great learning experiences of his life.

Angele Hunskor, mother of Hayden Global Fellows Honduras and Ethiopia programs

Mackenzie came home from her experience with Water 1st noticeably more mature in her awareness of life around her. She seems to have learned the appreciation of the life she is living in a way I’m not sure her father and I could have instilled. She is grateful to have been given the opportunity and I believe has just begun her impact on philanthropy.

Cindy Sackett , mother of Mackenzie Global Fellows Honduras program

Meet Our Global Fellows Alums

Shraeya Iyer, University Prep, Seattle, Class of 2021

Being a Bangladesh Global Fellow gave me the opportunity to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences between myself and those who are directly affected by the global water crisis. In addition, I learned much more about the domino effect of the water crisis and the misconceptions that accompany them. We visited different schools who recently had water systems put into place, including sanitary toilets, showers, sinks, and water fountains. In these schools, many students presented their plans and goals for their futures as well as their goals for implementation of proper sanitation and water. We visited many communities and heard our local partners present their accomplishments and goals for the year. I got to learn about how empowering and effective it is to partner with local community based organizations. I saw exactly how important it is for communities to take charge of their own water projects and to hire workers from within their community. Apart from the water projects themselves, we attended food vendor trainings, menstrual hygiene trainings, and child to child education trainings. The Bangladesh partner not only helps implement water and sanitation systems, but also gives communities training to better equip individuals to become leaders in the fight against the water crisis. Becoming a Global Fellow has helped me learn my place as an advocate, as a person who spreads awareness about the struggles that communities face throughout the world. I learned that my job is to educate people on how the water crisis impacts women’s rights, children’s education, infant mortality rates, the economy, environment, and public health. It was inspiring to see the commitment and dedication of each community and to hear students describe their goals to become doctors and teachers. Being a Global Fellow has taught me that the difference between these communities and myself is only a difference in resources. I am excited to continue to be a part of such a powerful movement of like-minded individuals, striving to provide every person with the necessary resources to succeed.

Grace Eamer, Northwest High School, Seattle, Class of 2021

Going to Bangladesh as a Global Fellow and seeing in person the work that Water1st funds re-shaped my worldview. I met so many people who continue to inspire me with their passion for the health of their communities. Community members ranging in ages from toddler to great-great-grandparent were excited to teach their friends and family about clean water and were determined to make a change in the way that their families approached hygiene. Seeing all of these people making a difference in their communities stuck with me and I realized how much one person can inspire their community. It also made me realize how important the work of Water1st is and gave me a new eagerness in the way that I approach fundraising projects with them. Having the opportunity to be a Global Fellow is something that I will always be grateful for, and its impact will stay with me my whole life.

Quinton Hayre, Lakeside High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

As a 2018 global fellow in Honduras I was able to see strength and dedication in a number of ways. Most notably I saw it from the villagers and local water organizations who worked so hard to give their families and community a guarantee that they never had: the access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation. In addition, I got to get to know some really incredible Water1st staff, donors, and board members who showed me what it means to be selfless and dedicated to a common cause. My experience as a global fellow has really put the work of Water1st and the global water crisis into much greater perspective for me and it was something I will never forget.

Ava Klubberud, Garfield High School, Seattle, Class of 2020

Going to Honduras with the Global Fellows program was one of the best things I have ever done. It gave me the opportunity to see Water1st’s work first hand and be a part of it, making me more connected to the overall work of the organization. This experience motivated me to be a better advocate and member of the HS board. In Honduras I met so many amazing people working together as an international community to help one another. By seeing this I understood that I was a part of this community and had an active role in accomplishing the goal of clean water systems. The Global Fellows program allowed me to see another part of the world and consider how I fit into it. This is a great experience for people who are passionate about global issues and want to see how their actions have a direct impact on the lives of people living in poverty globally.

Arryn Owens, Lakeside High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

Being a Global Fellow gives you the opportunity to experience the complexity and reality of the global water crisis and interact with the communities who experience it every day. You get to see first hand what the local partnership model looks like and why it’s such an effective way to support community development and build an effective, long-lasting solution. Mostly it inspired me to find my voice as an advocate. It made me want to come back and mobilize my own community to fight for the work the Honduran communities are doing. I saw how transformational water access and sanitation are to every aspect of the community – healthy, gender equality, prosperity, education, motivation, connectedness. It was humbling to see the incredible effort put into these projects. Their commitment to quality – in the construction of the projects, the maintenance and upkeep, in the relationships they built with each other and with Water1st. It showed me what it means to persist and create something life-changing for yourself.

Freya Wiedemann, Garfield High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

I am extremely thankful I was able to go to Honduras with the rest of the Global Fellows. It really opened my eyes to all the privileges in my life that I, and others, take for granted. I’m very excited to have been able to witness these communities receive water that will change their lives, and I hope to be able to go back sometime and see the progress of the projects I saw on this trip.

Peter Lenz, Garfield High School, Seattle, Class of 2018

I have been on the youth board for two years and this is my first year as a Global Fellow. The experience in Honduras was the most incredible of my life. When we went to our second water inauguration ceremony to celebrate the completion of a local water project, one of the adults on the water tour was showing his camera to the kids and playing with it with them. I always enjoy playing with little kids, especially the ones in Honduras, who were always so fun and happy even with such a notable language barrier, especially with me as I have never taken Spanish. When I came over to the kids they started taking pictures of me with the camera. The kids knew to point the camera at what they wanted to photograph but most of them, especially the younger ones, couldn’t aim accurately or focus. As I played with them they quickly picked up how to look through the glass lens and hold down the button to focus, even with my embarrassingly unsuccessful Spanish. One of the kids there started to really get into it and was getting how to zoom and focus and frame without any prompting from me. It was such a great representation of how amazing the people there were and how access to water might give them the ability to begin pursuing artistic hobbies or professions, as their consistent water supply would allow them to progress beyond working just to sustain themselves. The other thing that was so great was that girls eventually agreed to try the camera and take pictures themselves. In Honduras the little girls were much more shy than the boys so it took convincing for them to try taking pictures, which made it that much more special when they agreed to do so. At these inauguration ceremonies, they would dress up the little kids, especially the girls which just meant so much to us that they would view us coming as such an occasion. This all taught me so much about how grateful I should be for what I have and that I was given such a fortunate situation.

Emily Piette, Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences, Seattle, Class of 2018

We hiked to the top of a hill to meet members representing numerous project communities. They met us to express their gratitude for funding their water project. In the hours leading up to this demonstration of thanks, we watched these people dig trenches, install water pipes, and ate an amazing meal they prepared. I found all I wanted to do was thank them, yet here they were going out of their way to thank us. The mutual respect and gratitude in everyone present showed the significance of being a global citizen. I hold this moment and feeling close, knowing that people are capable of respect, collaboration, and kindness.

Mackenzie Sackett, Lakeside High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

At first the kids were very shy but once they opened up you could see how happy they are. They loved to get their pictures taken so they could see themselves afterward. This boy came up to me while I was taking pictures and without him saying a word I knew that he wanted his picture taken. When he saw the picture he smiled and laughed and being shy ran away. It turned out being the best picture I took the entire trip.

Lauren Baty, Roosevelt High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

6 years ago, I went to Ethiopia with Water1st and the trip opened my eyes to a whole other part of the world I didn’t even know existed. I became motivated to make a difference in people’s lives. Looking back on that trip, I have realized that Water1st has shaped me into the person I am today and I am forever grateful. By traveling to Honduras with Water1st I have gained new perspective on social issues and the water crisis.

Hayden Hunksor, Lakeside High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

I have been lucky enough to visit two project countries as a Global Fellow; Ethiopia last year and now Honduras. Traveling to these developing communities has broadened my worldview and deepened my understanding of global development. It is always astounding to see the work of Water 1st first hand and the commitment of project communities to lifting themselves out of the cycle of poverty.

Sophia Coco, Lakeside High School, Seattle, Class of 2019

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift. – Pierre Corneille.

Playing with the village children in Honduras was one of the most rewarding activities of the entire trip. While they were all shy at first, the moment when they opened up to us was truly magical, and they were some of the kindest and most genuine children I have ever met.

Audrey Donahue, Holy Names Academy, Seattle, Class of 2020

This was my first time being blessed with the opportunity to travel with Water 1st. I have been involved with the organization since I found out about it in the 5th grade, and hope to continue to support its inspiring and impactful mission far into my future. I am incredibly grateful that I was able to meet so many amazing people and experience their kindness and love. It was truly inspiring to witness so many people being united by love to work for something that is a basic human need.