SAFE WATER SEPTEMBER. Challenge-Taker Guide. One Month. Just Water. Raise Funds. Change Lives.

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1 SAFE WATER SEPTEMBER Challenge-Taker Guide Section 1: Welcome Section 2: Fundraising Ideas Section 3: The Experience Section 4: FAQS #SafeWaterSeptember Insta & // Facebook.com/embodyAU One Month. Just Water. Raise Funds. Change Lives.

2 Welcome to Safe Water September! Hey there. Welcome to Safe Water September 2015! Last year together we raised over $65,000, meaning more than 3000 Zimbabweans gained access to life-changing safe water! This year we think that we can go even bigger and change even more lives this guide will help us do just that. It s a bit of reading, but well and truly worth it, we promise. Cheers, Mitch Varcoe and the Safe Water September team. Section 2: Fundraising Ideas Idea 1: Make your profile yours! If you are reading this you ve probably created a profile on our brand new Safe Water September website. First, set a fundraising target be courageous, people give when you dream big! Here is some basic text, tell your story! Personalise Why are you fundraising? People will connect with and give to your story. Under Why are you fundraising? tell your own story why you are doing the challenge and what you will find difficult! Here are some basics you could include Hi Friends! I am taking the Safe Water September challenge and I would love you to support me as I raise money for safe water projects in rural Zimbabwe! For every $20 I fundraise, one person gains access to lifechanging safe water! Safe Water September is a challenge to drink nothing but water for the entire month of September. Yes I can still have food, but no coffee, tea, juice, milkshakes or soft drink. I would love it if you could support me to help change lives and transform communities in rural Zimbabwe with safe water!

3 Idea 2: Get a team together. More people means more motivation and accountability, more fun, and more money raised. Get your friends, small group, youth group, family or whole church together you can do this on your Personal Profile! Idea 3: Conversation. We know it can be awkward asking for money, but remember their donation is going to an amazing cause and will have a huge impact. Tell people about the challenge; why you are doing it and how much of an impact safe water makes. When you are genuinely excited about something, it excites and inspires others. Bonus Points: Extra fundraising ideas! Idea 4: Speak at your church! Chat with your pastor and organise a time where you can spend a few minutes talking about what the challenge is all about and how people can support it. You could use the Intro Video and PowerPoint to help also in the Resources section! Idea 5: Extra Challenges be creative! If drinking water seems easy, add extra challenges to raise more money (I ll do such and such if you donate $100 etc) and have some fun. You could also donate the money you save not buying drinks. Last year people sang water related songs after church, dressed up in triple denim or op-shop floral (see left), and only collected water from outside taps be as creative as you want!

4 The Experience Here are some ideas for how you can get the most out of the experience they will help you fundraise, but also help you connect with other challenge-takers and learn a bit more about poverty. Poverty is a lack of choice. For one month, experience that lack of choice. Idea 1: Share your story, often. Throughout the month share your experiences regularly to help remind people to donate and to keep your supporters up to date with how the challenge is going. Reflect on, and let people know what you are learning, what s been the hardest and how they can support you. When you post on your profile, you can click the post and share it to social media as well. Last drink before #SafeWaterSeptember! Idea 3: #SafeWaterSeptember the hashtag and follow the hashtag across Use social media to connect with others. We promise as the challenge goes on this will help inspire you and give you some great ideas for extra challenges and ways of saying thank you. You can even check out images from last year. Facebook.com/embodyAU Insta & Idea 2: Say thanks! Write personal thank you notes when people donate and share them on social media with a fundraising update! Also use this as an opportunity to give thanks to God for how he is at work in the world restoring His Kingdom of justice and peace.

5 Frequently Asked Questions How strict are the rules? Ultimately, this is up to you! Anything that adds flavour, that changes the texture, that makes you feel like you are drinking something other than plain and simple water is out. Here are some of our thoughts, take them or leave them. Can I get others involved? Yes! We d love you to! Become a Safe Water September Promoter and get your church and youth group involved. It sounds scary, but it isn t and you ll have a huge impact and a laugh or two along the way. Check out how under the Resources section. Can I have communion? Up to you! Why not encourage your church to have water for communion? A great way to get them involved. Offline or cash donations? Collect the cash and get your donors address). Put the money in your bank account. Go to your profile and enter your donor s details but your card details or get your parents to help you. Repeat. If you would like to donate another way, get in contact with us and this can be arranged. Milk on my cereal? We think its okay! But don t go adding extra milk just so you can have a weetbix infused milkshake after you ve finished the actual brekky. Soda water? Nope our partners in Zimbabwe don t have soda stream. Lemon or cucumber water? Nope! Who drinks water with cucumber these days anyway? What if I want a day off? If you have a really special event on that requires liquids other than water, we aren t going to stop you! But perhaps you could donate a certain amount of money to yourself or do the challenge for an extra week. Be creative with it! Hot water? Sure! People around the world boil water. Can I do the challenge outside of September? Go for it! Safe Water November doesn t quite have the same ring to it though.

6 Oops, I accidentally drank something. Fess up, there s no shame in it! Some of our own team did this last year. Why not set an amount you ll donate if you do 1 drink, 1 person receives access to safe water perhaps? Can I learn more about safe water? Check out The Cause section on the website. We are also making a detailed Safe Water Fact Sheet with a bunch of stats and stories that will be in the Resources section (maybe by the time you read this!). Stay in touch. That s it for now - thanks! We are looking forward to changing lives and transforming communities through safe water with you. Jump on our social media for all the latest! Cheers (coffee still in hand)! Mitch Varcoe Safe Water September Campaign Coordinator Facebook.com/embodyAU Instagram & #SafeWaterSeptember SafeWaterSeptember.org.au mitchvarcoe@embody.org.au Want these images in temporary tattoo format?! Create a team today and us at info@embody.org.au with the number of tattoos, an address and the team name and they ll be yours! Safe Water September is a campaign of embody. embody is a national community of young people passionate about and participating in global mission. embody.org.au embody is an initiative of Global Mission Partners, Churches of Christ Australia. gmp.org.au