A birthday is always a good excuse to throw a party.
But this year, I don't need cocktails, or dancing, or fancy gifts. This year, a birthday is a good excuse to dig a well.

I'm giving my birthday up.

I'm turning 28 years old (there, I said it!) and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $28 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater projects for people in developing countries.

I know it sounds like a lot.."Twenty-eight bucks, she's got some nerve!" Forgo coffee for a week. Bring your lunch for three days. Miss one night of after-work cocktails. Resist one pedicure.

Almost a billion people in the world are living without clean water -- but how much are they really living? Millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 30,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still have to walk hours each day to get dirty water for their families.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need; it's to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion people living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

The best part: 100% of all donations go directly toward water projects. And about 18 months after this campaign ends, charity: water will show us where and how every dollar we raised ended up helping in the field. We'll see GPS coordinates, photos and more details about the communities we've impacted.

Please join me.