Ryan Hreljac

[6] The two boys met during Hreljac's visit in 2000 to the Angolo Primary School in Uganda, where the first well that he funded was drilled.

[11] When he was six years old, Hreljac learned in school, during a lesson from his Grade One teacher, Nancy Prest, that many people in Africa have a very hard time getting access to clean water.

[9][12] Hreljac began raising money for those affected by the global water crisis by doing household chores, which netted him $70 over a four-month period.

[9][13] Doing more chores and fund-raising, within twelve months he had raised $2,000,[8] which turned out to be the actual cost to build a well at that time, according to WaterCan, a non-profit organization that provides clean water to poor countries.

[16] In 2001, Hreljac founded Ryan's Well Foundation, a registered Canadian charity, to build[clarification needed] in Africa and educate children about sanitation and safe water.

[17] Millions of dollars have been raised for water and sanitation projects in Africa, Central America, and South Asia.

[9] It has partners in twelve countries, including Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Togo and Haiti to identify the communities most in need of a water or sanitation project.

[24] Hreljac received the World of Children Awards in 2003, and a second time at the Montage Beverly Hills in April 2016 as an alumni winner.