Released on: January 23, 2008, 4:06 pm

Press Release Author: Ashoka\'s Changemakers

Industry: Environment

Press Release Summary: Global Competition Promotes Sharing Ideas and Recognizes
Innovators Working to Solve Water and Sanitation Crisis

Press Release Body: Global Water Challenge (GWC) and Ashoka\'s Changemakers have
partnered to launch Tapping Local Innovation: Unclogging the Water and Sanitation
Crisis, an online collaborative competition to discover and support entrepreneurs
large and small who offer groundbreaking approaches to the most pressing water and
sanitation challenges. The Coca-Cola Company is contributing a lead grant of $1
million (US) to support the collaborative effort to find and fund truly innovative
solutions that address the water crisis.

Most people do not think about water; they turn on a tap and clean water flows
readily. But for more than 1.1 billion people around the world, access to safe water
is a constant concern. Suitable sanitation facilities are in even shorter supply. A
lack of basic bathroom facilities deprives 2.6 billion people of human privacy and
dignity.

\"We have both the resources and the will to live in a world in which everyone can
drink clean water and use a safe toilet,\" said Paul Faeth, Executive Director of
GWC. \"This open source competition is unique in allowing social entrepreneurs
working in the farthest corners of the world to connect with a dynamic community of
experts and funders that can improve and expand the impact these entrepreneurs can
have.\"

\"Global Water Challenge seeks to make existing projects even stronger and connect
local innovators with global investors who can bring solutions to scale. By
partnering with Ashoka\'s Changemakers, Global Water Challenge has a platform to
challenge the world\'s entrepreneurs to use their substantial talents to solve the
world\'s water and sanitation crisis,\" says Charlie Brown, the executive director of
Ashoka\'s Changemakers. Brown notes that the Changemakers Web site encourages
collaboration and discussion to draw out and strengthen the most effective ideas.

Innovators can post their applications on the Ashoka\'s Changemakers Web site at
www.changemakers.net now through March 26, 2008. During this time, applications will
be available to anyone for review, comment and discussion. Once the entry period has
closed, a panel of judges will select finalists and the global online community will
vote for the winners. The winners will receive funds in recognition of their work.
Judges include: Ed Cain, Vice President- Grant Programs, Hilton Foundation; Ian
Callaghan, Head of Microfinance Institutions Group, Morgan Stanley; Dr. Sanjay
Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN; and Tanvi Nagpal, Director of Water and
Sanitation Initiatives, Global Water Challenge.

Web Site: http://www.changemakers.net

Contact Details: Delyse Sylvester
Director of Communication
Ashoka\'s Changemakers
250-551-0570
media@changemakers.net