62:. He has three brothers: Keegan, Jordan and Jimmy. Jimmy Akana was Hreljac's first pen pal from Uganda. Jimmy's parents disappeared during the country's civil war and he was raised by an aunt. He used to get up at midnight so that he could fetch water for his aunt before school. The two boys met during Hreljac's visit in 2000 to the Angolo Primary School in Uganda, where the first well that he funded was drilled. Jimmy was later abducted by a rebel group, Lord's Resistance Army, and then escaped to the home of an aid worker. The Hreljac family paid for his schooling for a couple of years and then brought him to Canada. The brothers both graduated from high school in June 2000. Ryan's family adopted Jimmy, and he became a Canadian citizen in 2007.
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239:, a 2015 documentary, tells the story of Ryan Hreljac's return to his first well site at Angolo Primary School in Uganda and how the well changed the lives of the people in the area. The 27-minute film was also directed by Krishna. It was selected for the Planet in Focus Film Festival, one of the most significant environmental festivals that takes place in North America, that occurred in Toronto in October 2015.
155:
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122:
The foundation's objective has expanded to build wells anywhere in the world. Millions of dollars have been raised for water and sanitation projects in Africa, Central
America, and South Asia. The foundation has brought clean water to more than 1,402,006 people in 16 developing countries, through
147:
Hreljac became assistant project manager at the foundation in
January 2015, in preparation for a June 2015 opening for project manager. His on-the-job training included trips to Kenya, Burkina Faso, and Uganda to train locals how to maintain their wells. He has also traveled extensively—including
89:
When he was six years old, Hreljac learned in school, during a lesson from his Grade One teacher, Nancy Prest, that many people in Africa have a very hard time getting access to clean water. Hreljac began raising money for those affected by the global water crisis by doing household chores, which
94:, a non-profit organization that provides clean water to poor countries. In January 1999, he sent the money to WaterCan, who had the first well drilled in northern Uganda alongside Angolo Public School. It was built by the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief that year. In two years, he raised
127:
on well projects. By 2015, it completed 900 projects benefiting 824,038 people. Some of the projects were for rain harvesting tanks in areas—like
Guatemala, Haiti, and India—where that was the optimal solution for safe water. The 1,000th well was dug in the fall of 2015 in northern Uganda, in a
123:
1,724 water and 1,321 sanitation projects. It has partners in twelve countries, including
Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Togo and Haiti to identify the communities most in need of a water or sanitation project. It has worked with
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netted him $ 70 over a four-month period. Doing more chores and fund-raising, within twelve months he had raised $ 2,000, which turned out to be the actual cost to build a well at that time, according to
151:
As of June 2023, Hreljac is executive director of the Ryan's Well
Foundation, a position he has held since 2019. He still appears in media and presents to organizations and school classes worldwide.
43:
to bring clean water and sanitation to people in developing countries. He has received numerous awards for his work, and he was the youngest person ever to be bestowed with the
73:; his field of study was International Development and Political Science. Hreljac was employed by Youth Ottawa, a nongovernmental organization, after he graduated in 2013.
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Hreljac received the World of
Children Awards in 2003, and a second time at the Montage Beverly Hills in April 2016 as an alumni winner. In 2004, he was named a
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heard of
Hreljac's efforts and matched $ 2 for every dollar that he raised. He told his story in many appearances in local and international media including
256:, a model, who grew up in Burkina Faso. She established a foundation that partners with Ryan's Well Foundation to bring clean water to African communities.
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In 2001, Hreljac founded Ryan's Well
Foundation, a registered Canadian charity, to build in Africa and educate children about sanitation and safe water.
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is a book about a girl, Gie Gie, who walks with her mother each day to collect water. It is based upon the early life of
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After his graduation from St. Michael's
Catholic High School in Kemptville, Ontario, Hreljac graduated in 2013 from
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Build the
Rainbow of Your Success: Work Smarter, Not Harder with Applied Wisdom from the East and West
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When Turtles Fly: Secrets of Successful People Who Know How To Stick Their Necks Out
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district neighboring the first well. Supporters of the foundation include
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Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Change: Courageous Actions Around the World
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Collecting contaminated water from a source in project area, Uganda.
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Brazil, Mexico, Qatar, and Argentina—to speak about the foundation.
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For the historic well in the Northern Territory of Australia, see
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Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together
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Courageous Dreaming: How Shamans Dream the World Into Being
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Ryan with children in project area in Uganda, August 2023.
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Ryan Hreljac takes on new role at Ryan's Well Foundation
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Children enjoying new, clean water source in Ghana.
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889:'Return to Ryan's Well' premieres in Kemptville
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186:He is the youngest person ever to receive the
400:"About Ryan's Well - Ryan's Well Foundation"
386:"About Ryan's Well - Ryan's Well Foundation"
39:is a Canadian activist, who established the
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712:Jewell, Wendy (September 30, 2015).
692:Ellis, Deborah (November 11, 2016).
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844:Sundem, Garth (November 17, 2014).
732:Lee, Dr. Robert (January 2, 2013).
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658:Being a Leader and Making Decisions
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789:Shoveller, Herb (August 1, 2008).
192:Canadian Meritorious Service Medal
77:Charitable fundraiser and activist
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823:Stone, Nikki (January 26, 2010).
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678:"The Action Plan: Emergency Aid"
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962:Woods, Tiffany (April 2008).
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21:Ryan Well Historical Reserve
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829:. Morgan James Publishing.
224:Blue Gold: World Water Wars
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865:Villoldo, Alberto (2010).
850:. Free Spirit Publishing.
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655:Baptiste, Tracey (2009).
1037:Canadian child activists
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661:. Infobase Publishing.
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871:. ReadHowYouWant.com.
795:. Kids Can Press Ltd.
592:Ryan's Well Foundation
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237:Return to Ryan’s Well
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71:Halifax, Nova Scotia
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250:The Water Princess
206:In popular culture
177:Paul Harris Fellow
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745:978-1-62488-866-3
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171:Recognition
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559:Smith 2015
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348:Stone 2010
261:References
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56:Kemptville
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