Hello, this is Andre Graff. Seven years ago I decided to change my life and move from France to a small village on the remote island of Sumba in eastern Indonesia.
The women and children in Sumba spend many hours each day fetching water from wells and water holes down in the valleys. They carry it in pots, buckets and jerry cans on their heads, along steep and dangerous paths up to their villages high on the hills, and they repeat this several times a day.

I knew I simply had to do something to help these poor people in my village, and in other places around the island and on neighbouring Savu. In most cases, they were collecting dirty water from the holes where the buffalo and other animals go to drink and bathe. So I started building wells where there were none, and have so far installed 27 of them.

Then I decided to install pipelines that carry the water up the hills to the villages, with pumps that operate exclusively on solar power, and tanks for storage. There is no electricity in these areas, and I don’t want to introduce oil-powered generators that ruin the environment. I now have three such eco-friendly water distribution systems up and running, and they serve thousands of people.

So far I have been using my own modest savings, along with some contributions from a number of friends and associates, to pay for these projects. But this means I have only been able to help a limited number of people get access to water. So, in order to go further and allow many more communities to benefit from these sustainable projects, I am now asking for your help.

The well-known independent film maker Douchan Gersi, who made the video above, is interested in working on a 52 minute documentary about my work in Sumba. However, he needs money to fund the project. This movie will be used to promote my activities and raise more money to finance more of these environmentally conscious water projects in eastern Indonesia.

What We Need & What You Get
We are aiming to raise $20,000 to pay for the film maker to travel to Sumba so he can shoot the footage he needs, and then do all the necessary production and post-production work.

If there is any money left over after the movie is completed, it will be used to make more wells for the people of Sumba. So, the more we raise, the greater the benefit for all the women and children who still have to work so hard to fetch water for the whole community. And whether your contribution is used to produce the documentary film that will help raise the profile of my water distribution projects and enable more wells and pipelines to be built, or is put directly into these projects, you can be sure that all the cash we receive will be used for the good of the local villagers.

As a contributor you are a very important part of our team, no matter how small or large your donation is. It’s always gratifying to know that you are helping to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate. But we also want to offer you some fun and unique perks to say thank you and give you a long-lasting reminder of your participation in the making of the Water for Sumba documentary.
The higher your contribution, the more stuff we will send you. Everyone will receive a digital download of the film, a mention in the movie credits, and a personalized e-postcard from Sumba. If you donate $25 your name appears as an Associate Producer in the credits, while a larger amount will also get you a typical Sumbanese hand woven textile such as a scarf, sarong or ikat cloth. Please see the listings on the right for more details.

Other Ways You Can Help
If you really can’t contribute any cash, you can still lend a hand to our efforts to raise money to make the Water for Sumba movie. We need your support in order to make this film!

You can spread the word and encourage others to contribute, by posting links and other information on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media sites. We are always happy to receive a mention on your blog or website.
 Ask your friends to spread the word too, and remind them to use the Indiegogo share tools!

If you have any questions, or want to get additional information about my sustainable water projects or about the Water for Sumba documentary, please drop me a line on [email protected]

Terima Kasih Banyak! Thank You So Much!

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/water-for-sumba-a-documentary-film