return to ryan's well

Ryan was 6 years old when he heard that people in Africa were dying without clean water.

There were 30 children in the class. They all heard the story but only one decided to do something about it. Ryan raised money to build a well and at the tender age of 9 he traveled to Uganda to see how lives are transformed with access to clean water. He was welcomed by 5000 people who lined the road and clapped rhythmically to the chant of “Ryan! Ryan!” It was a touching finale to a great act of compassion.

Everyone was prepared to move on. Except that Ryan’s story resonated with people young and old around the world. Donations poured in along with awards and recognition. All of which only served to make Ryan’s resolve stronger- ‘As long as people are dying without clean water, I’ll just keep going.’

He’s been going for 15 years and doesn’t look like he’s going to stop anytime soon. The Ryan’s Well Foundation has now built over 1000 water projects and brought world attention to the unacceptable conditions under which millions continue to live without access to clean water.

Return to Ryan’s Well is a moving story that captures the indomitable spirit of a little boy and the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have changed forever.