Water. It’s a resource that many of us take for granted, but the truth is that almost one billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean water, and the results are deadly. Unsafe water causes 80 percent of all sickness and disease, and contributes to the deaths of more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

That’s why Shutterstock decided to do something different for the holidays. We are giving a gift that will continue to give long after the season has faded away: the gift of water to the men, women and children who currently lack this vital resource.

Shutterstock is donating $60,000 to charity: water to build 12 wells in 12 arid villages in northern Ethiopia - one well for every month of 2010. And we hope you’ll join us. A donation of $20 to charity: water is not just a drop in the bucket; it means one person in a developing nation can have access to clean water for 20 years.

"Our partnership with charity: water is designed to make a real difference in the lives of people who lack one of life's basic necessities: clean, safe water," said Jon Oringer, founder and CEO of Shutterstock. "We welcome everyone in Shutterstock's global community to spread the generosity of the holiday season to help the men, women and children who need it most."

To learn more, please visit: www.charitywater.org/shutterstock. When the wells are complete, Shutterstock will update this page with photos, GPS coordinates and news from communities where wells have been built, and lives have been changed.

About charity: water
Founded by Scott Hamilton in 2006, charity: water has already funded over 1,500 water projects in 16 developing countries. All donations to charity: water are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of donations go directly to funding sustainable freshwater solutions in developing nations.