Give Clean Water This Holiday Season
Give the gift of clean water this holiday season. A new well is $3,500, a well repair is $1,500, or give $25 a month. See what your gift provides.
By Embrace Relief Team · Updated October 26, 2026
The useful part before the long read.
A new deep-aquifer well is $3,500. Restoring a broken well through Fountains of Hope is $1,500. Monthly giving starts at $25.
Since 2013, Embrace Relief has drilled or reconstructed 1,350+ wells, giving about 1,400,000 people clean water.
In 2026 so far: about 90,000 people reached in 5 countries, 70 new wells built and 40 broken wells restored.
Our year-end goal is 35 more wells and about 35,000 more people by December 31.
A well is one of the few gifts that is still working years after the holidays are over. This season, Embrace Relief is working to build 35 more water wells before December 31, 2026. You can build a new well for $3,500, restore a broken one for $1,500, or give $25 a month to keep clean water flowing. Every option brings safe water closer to a family that currently walks far for it.
Why clean water makes a lasting gift
More than 800 million people still live without safe water. In rural communities across Sub-Saharan Africa, families often rely on unsafe sources or walk long distances to collect water. Women and children carry most of that burden, and the hours spent fetching water are hours not spent in school or at work.
A well changes that daily routine. It lowers the risk of waterborne disease, saves time, and gives communities a dependable base for farming, hygiene and school attendance.
What your gift provides
| Gift | What it does |
|---|---|
| $3,500 Build a well | A complete hand-pump well drilled into a deep, protected aquifer. A well serves 1,000+ people every day. |
| $1,500 Restore a well (Fountains of Hope) | Brings a broken or abandoned water point back into service in a community that already has a well. |
| $25 a month Become a Well Builder | Ongoing support that helps build new wells and restore broken ones across Africa. |
Full-well gifts are one-time donations. If you build a well in your name or in honor of someone you love, you can name the well and receive photos of its construction and opening, along with a certificate recognizing your gift.
How our wells are built to last
- Deep-aquifer wells: hand-pump wells drilled to about 147 feet, so the water is protected from surface contamination.
- 5-year warranty: every well comes with a warranty and annual maintenance.
- Community ownership: local training so the community can look after its own water source.
Our clean water program works in Chad, Cameroon, Tanzania, Uganda, Benin and Kenya. You can read more about the program on our Clean Water page, or learn what makes a lasting gift in What Is Sadaqah Jariyah?.
Give before December 31
Gifts made by December 31 count toward the 2026 tax year. Embrace Relief Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 26-2393075), and donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. See our 2026 charitable tax deduction guide for how the new rules work.
Related reading: Giving Tuesday 2026 guide and Year-end giving 2026.
This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Please consult a tax professional about your own deductions.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a water well?
A new deep-aquifer well through Embrace Relief is $3,500. Restoring a broken well through Fountains of Hope is $1,500. Monthly giving starts at $25.
How many people does one well serve?
A well serves 1,000 or more people every day.
How long does a well last?
Our wells are drilled to about 147 feet into protected aquifers and come with a 5-year warranty and annual maintenance checks. Communities are trained to care for their own water source.
Can I build a well in someone else's name?
Yes. You can build a well in your name or in honor of someone you love. You can name the well and receive photos of its construction and opening, along with a certificate.
Is my holiday gift tax-deductible?
Embrace Relief Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 26-2393075. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Gifts made by December 31 count toward the 2026 tax year.