What started in 2015 with a 15-year-old’s vision grew into a movement that delivered clean water to over 20,000 people in West Africa. Guided by community partnerships and innovative funding, Water Is The Answer proved that youth-led action can drive real, sustainable change.
Water Is The Answer was founded by Kristofer Madu at age 15, driven by his multicultural background and firsthand understanding of water scarcity challenges. Born to a Nigerian father and Jamaican mother, Madu’s experiences across different communities informed his approach to humanitarian work.
Water Is The Answer’s funding model pioneered an original approach that purposed music royalties for social good. Our founder, under the musical alter ego “Travis Karter,” donated the proceeds from his music to bolster our funding in addition to generous donors. With these sources of capital, we funded the completion of wells in rural villages, one of which is pictured to the right
Today, our work continues through a successor nonprofit, When We Grow Up, focused on childhood education and mentorship for the most “at-risk” student populations.
Our process began with careful community selection, focusing on rural areas where water scarcity created the greatest barriers to education, health, and economic development. We partnered directly with village leaders to understand specific needs and ensure local ownership of projects.
Our work positively impacted a community of over 20,000 souls.
