[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14905]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           THE RIPPLE EFFECT

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 5, 2011

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, here in America, we can walk in to our 
kitchen and turn on the faucet in order to get a drink of water. This 
routine has become so natural, that sometimes we forget how blessed our 
country is. Americans are lucky to be able to drink water without the 
fear that it could make them ill or put their lives in jeopardy. One 
young man in my congressional district became aware of how fortunate he 
was, and wanted to find a way to make a difference in the lives of 
those who did not have access to clean water. This young man, Nico 
Kroeker, began a business in October 2010 at 17 years old, in order to 
benefit people who are suffering from unsanitary water conditions.
  Mr. Kroeker calls his project The Ripple Effect, and sells water 
bottles from his Web site in order to raise funds. Keeping nothing for 
himself, Mr. Kroeker takes all of the profits and puts them toward 
purchasing more water bottles to sell. A portion of the profits go to 
Living Water International, an organization that builds wells in 
villages where water is either unsanitary or difficult to obtain. 
Living Water International strategically places these wells near 
schools so women are able to get an education rather than travel long 
distances for unclean water.
  Now wells do not last forever, which can be a problem with this type 
of program, but Living Water International has worked to find a 
solution to this. The organization works alongside the villagers 
teaching them how to build and maintain the wells. By doing this, the 
villagers are able to maintain the wells and fix them even after Living 
Water International has left.
  Mr. Kroeker really liked how the fact that the organization did not 
just build the well and leave, but rather taught the villagers so they 
could become independent. Even though he is leaving for college in the 
fall of 2011, Mr. Kroeker still plans on managing his company from 
Blinn College in College Station, Texas. His company operates through a 
Web site, which will make it very convenient for Mr. Kroeker to balance 
his school work and continue to provide clean and safe water to people 
in need.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud this young Texan for taking action and making 
a difference in the lives of others.
  And that's just the way it is.

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