Video by Roy Negrosa, Interview by Kenxis Jimenez
On a rainy day in September I had the privilege to attend the Annual Water Ball that was held on Friday, September 29th, 2023 at THE SECOND on 849 6th Ave. The Water Ball, formerly known as Burkina Faso Water Day Gala, is a charitable event with the mission to raise funds for clean water. It was an amazing experience which was for a good cause. There was an auction with many items for sale, but one that caught my eye was artwork of Caroline Herrera by Bradley Theodore. There was also entertainment such as singing, and a fashion show with designs by Georgie for her brand Liberty & Justice.
Photography by Roy Negrosa and Ryan Azia
The Water Ball was founded by Georgie ”The Water Princess” who was born in the Ivory Coast. Georgie spent a lot of her childhood in the village of Koffikro, where she used to wake up every morning at 6 AM to fetch water with her grandmother and female cousins. This activity which is a necessity and a part of life adding to the fact that the country has a hard time getting fresh water, led to the start of the Georgie Badiel Foundation and the annual event, The Water Ball.
The goal of the Water Ball is to bring awareness to The Georgie Badiel Foundation. A charitable organization which aims to provide clean water and sanitation to the people of Burkina Faso by building and restoring wells, providing technical training in well operation and maintenance, and creating educational programs for sanitary and hygiene practice. Over 54% of the rural population in Burkina Faso does not have access to clean drinking water. Their mission is to change that.
To learn more about the foundation you can check out the website: https://www.georgiebadielfoundation.org/