Provision for others
The 10 Campaign raises funds to supply wells and share the gospel in Liberia
After just one year, the 10 Campaign has made a remarkable impact both on Liberty’s campus and the West African world. Founded in 2015, the student-run initiative seeks to change lives by providing clean water and the Gospel to the nation of Liberia.
Help — The 10 Campaign, part of The Last Well organization, fundraised through a Clean Water Gala and other events this spring. Photo provided
“It started during a talk with my good friend Daniel last year around early November,” Co-founder and campaign manager Quincy Thompson said. “He told me about an idea that he had about doing something meaningful on campus in Jesus’ name … clean water had been on his heart and he had a dream of seeing students mobilized on campus to provide clean water to those in need.”
Thompson said the 10 Campaign previously partnered with The Last Well, a non-profit organization based in Liberia, to raise support for the nation as a whole. Because it was strongly supported on campus, the group decided to raise their fundraising goals a bit higher for 2016. Ultimately, it plans to continue its partnership with The Last Well because of the incredible difference the organization is making in Liberia.
“The Last Well’s mission and our campaign’s mission is one and the same,” Thompson said. “To provide every Liberian with access to clean water and share the Gospel with every person served by 2020.”
Throughout the year, the 10 Campaign hosted a variety of campus fundraisers to bring awareness to the projects The Last Well is doing in Liberia. One of the most anticipated spring events is the Clean Water Gala, hosted by the Student Government Association. The second annual student gala was held April 8 in the LaHaye Event Space.
“We enjoyed a catered meal, jazz music and a keynote address by Todd Phillips, the founder and executive director of The Last Well,” Thompson said, “In total, we sold 180 tickets and students raised $7200 at the gala alone.”
All of the evening’s proceeds were donated to The Last Well for their water project in Grand Kru, one of Liberia’s largest and neediest counties. Because of its size, Grand Kru is the area most desperate for fresh water and the Gospel. Each year until 2020, the 10 Campaign is raising money for a particular part of Liberia, and specifically in Grand Kru.
Twenty-five water wells must be constructed in order to alleviate the water shortage in the county.
“As soon as we can cut a check to The Last Well, they will take the funds and begin drilling,” Thompson said. “Teams and the infrastructure are already in place on the ground in Grand Kru, Liberia.”
Following the gala, the 10 Campaign hosted a Worship Night April 11 to give students the opportunity to worship and pray for the people of Grand Kru and hear an encouraging message from Phillips. Additionally, the group hosted the 10 Tailgate on April 15, which allowed people to learn more about the ministry, meet other mission-minded individuals and enjoy an evening of games and food.
“Students should get involved because we have an opportunity to make history and do something significant for the glory of God,” Thompson said. “Never before has an entire nation gained access to clean drinking water at once, and we can be the tipping point in helping this happen for the very first time.”
Thompson encourages students to connect with the 10 Campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, he says that the link to the campaign’s main fundraising page can be found on any of their social media accounts.
“I would love to see students impassioned to go and start their own initiatives and campaigns that are Christ-centered, Gospel-focused and meet the needs of people here in Lynchburg locally and around the globe,” Thompson said. “We can be a student body of world changers.”
RUTT is a feature reporter.