Hello,

I am a senior here at Villanova, and next year I have created a one-year volunteer program for myself called “Water for Waslala”. I am hoping to use my year to raise awareness of global poverty in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, through presentations in area high schools and parishes about the realities of life in a poor region of Nicaragua called Waslala. I also intend to raise $100,000 for the construction of 50 water systems in Waslala, a municipality with 85 rural communities and over 40,000 residents. I will be volunteering through the Augustinian Volunteers program while executing Water for Waslala.

I would like to publish an article about Water for Waslala in the Villanovan. Since this whole program was caused by a two-week service trip to Waslala I took two years ago, I think it serves as an important message to all Villanova break trip volunteers to turn their experiences into action. I would also like to raise awareness of the project, in case any Villanova students would be interested in making a donation, or sending me contact information for local high schools, parishes, or even local businesses.

Please let me know about the possibility of doing an article in the Villanovan. Thank you.

Matt Nespoli