Beyond the Cold Plunge: A Year with The Ayin Project

Imagine stepping into the icy river. The shock hits you first—a surge of cold that steals your breath. Every part of you is thrown into survival mode. You focus on not falling, not being swept away. But soon, the panic subsides. You take a deep breath, recalibrate, and begin to see. Your senses sharpen, the world around you becomes vivid—the colors intensify, the sounds become clearer, and you feel more alive than you’ve ever been. You are no longer fighting the current; you are connected to it.

This is the experience I’ve had over the past year with The Ayin Project. Much like cold plunging, a vital part of my journey, confronting the problem they’re working to solve hit me like a shock to the system—intense, jarring, and overwhelming at first. But as I’ve fully immersed myself in this work, my perspective has sharpened, and the chaos has given way to clarity. I’ve connected to something much bigger than myself, and in doing so, it’s fundamentally transformed the way I think.

Water has brought me back to life. It’s where I find my grounding and my clarity. But here’s the truth: I didn’t always understand the power of water the way I do now.

When I met Joshua Kurtz, Founder and CEO of The Ayin Project, through Joel Widman and Anderson the Fish, I thought I understood what “helping” people meant. I thought I knew how it was done. But the deeper I got into The Ayin Project’s work, the more I realized how misguided my perspective had been. I was all about the quick fix—the pump, the well, the easy solution, the “photo opp”. But real change? It’s never that simple.

I take clean water for granted. I turn on the tap, and it's there. But what about those who don’t have that luxury? The woman in Uganda, carrying jugs of water for miles while her children miss school, their bodies deprived of the hydration they need to learn? What about the father who can’t provide for his family because the water’s contaminated or unreliable? These people, like you and me, have potential—they’re no different. But their lives are shackled by something as basic as water.

It’s heartbreaking, and it’s unacceptable.

Then, Joshua shared the Parable of Babies in the River with me. And it hit me like a slap in the face. I thought I understood how to help. But the truth is, building pumps without understanding the quality of the water in wells below isn’t just insufficient—it’s harmful. Furthermore, if we don’t understand the people, the culture, the barriers, and the importance of equipping the local community to maintain the infrastructure, we’re not solving the problem; we’re just throwing money at it, hoping it sticks. The Ayin Project doesn’t do that. They don’t offer quick fixes—they build leaders. 

They’re not just helping; they’re empowering people to be the change in their own communities. The youth, the local leaders, everyone involved—they’re not waiting for someone else to fix their problems. They’re taking ownership.

Kiwanda (TAP's Field Technician) fixes local pump in neighboring community

And here’s the kicker: It’s not enough to dip your toes in the water and walk away. If we truly want to make a difference, we have to wade into the river, walk up stream, feel the current, understand the terrain. We have to keep going back. We have to stay connected and stay focused on the real work—real, sustainable, effective solutions that last. We have to bring others with us.

My role—and the challenge I have the privilege of taking on in my work with The Ayin Project—has been communicating the breadth of what they do, the heart behind the work, and drawing your heart to that man, woman, and child’s plight for something as basic as clean water. Helping you also see help, redefined

For every $1 invested in water and sanitation, about $4.30 is generated in economic returns.

and in greater depth and scope than you previously imagined, just as I have. Helping you see the value of your investment of time, energy, and resources to this organization. After all, for every $1 invested into water and sanitation, $4.30 is generated in economic returns.

This is not just a mission; it’s a call to action. We must raise our awareness, feel the urgency, and take responsibility.

Through The Ayin Project’s Summer Internship Program in Nashville, TN, and their Water Research and Development Centre in Kampala, Uganda, they’re creating leaders who will carry this mission forward.

In the first year of the WASH Program, the goal was to reach 1,000 students. But they surpassed that goal, impacting over 2,100 students, and they’re adding more schools this year, while continuing to walk alongside the schools they worked with last year to help them expand their efforts. The ripple effect of this work is incredible—schools that once lacked clean water are recognizing the tangible economic benefits of focusing their efforts on clean water access, strengthening the local economy in the process.

And it doesn’t stop there. The Ayin Project doesn’t just walk away after a donation or a quick fix. They stay in relationship, supporting students and staff through local events like a futbol tournament where students cheer each other on toward victory. It’s through these relationships that the WASH schools are connected and united in their shared mission.

The Ayin Project has been fortunate to partner with organizations like Vanderbilt University’s Collaborative for STEM Education and Outreach (CSEO), Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), and Power Youth (Metro Nashville Action Commission), to offer a fully paid Summer Internship Program to local Juniors and Seniors in Nashville, TN. Last year, it was a true joy to work with our very first media intern, Hannah, helping her understand the power of effective storytelling.

Communications are so critical to this work, and it’s been an honor to be in this role, sharing the good work that we’re doing. It is truly a worthy pursuit.

Partners like the ERM Foundation have made it possible for TAP’s Ugandan Water Research and Development team to use ArcGIS survey technology, enabling them to properly track well locations and input relevant data about water quality. These partnerships are fueling the ongoing success of the project, ensuring that every decision is backed by real data and sustainable impact.

The best part? It’s replicable. It’s a solution that can be repeated again and again, because it’s rooted and grounded in crafting data-driven, informed solutions for humanity’s greatest barrier to prosperity—access to clean, safe water. This isn’t solely about fixing a problem; it’s about transforming mindsets, empowering communities, and creating a future where everyone, no matter where they live, has the right to thrive.

Just like that cold plunge, the work The Ayin Project is doing can be a shock to the system. It’s jarring, uncomfortable, and often overwhelming at first. But once you’re immersed, once you’re fully in, you see the world differently. The urgency becomes clear, and your perspective sharpens. This isn’t just about survival—it’s about connection, empowerment, and sustainable change. The river is deep, but it’s where transformation begins. And I’m proud to be a part of this journey, bringing others along to ensure no one is left behind.

Jacqueline Green (Boyetchko)

The Ayin Project