Online creators from across the world, led by YouTube stars MrBeast and Mark Rober, have kicked off a monthlong campaign to raise $40 million for clean water projects.
The campaign, called #TeamWater, brings together hundreds of content creators to support WaterAid and other nonprofit partners working to provide sustainable water solutions globally.
Promoted as the biggest YouTube collaboration to date, the initiative hopes to provide clean and safe drinking water to at least two million people. It builds on the success of previous viral efforts like #TeamTrees and #TeamSeas, which raised over $50 million combined for environmental causes.
The organisers are tapping into a massive online reach, uniting creators with a combined following of more than 2 billion people. Big names such as streamer Kai Cenat, the Stokes Twins, and Dude Perfect have joined the movement, pledging to create water-themed content true to their individual styles — from informative explainers to entertaining challenges.
“This is about more than just raising funds — it’s about building awareness and lifelong commitment to advocacy,” said campaign organiser and MrBeast CEO Jeff Housenbold. He explained that while creators excel at mobilising attention, they turned to WaterAid for its deep-rooted experience in designing and executing long-term, community-focused water solutions.
WaterAid America CEO Kelly Parsons said the organisation collaborates with communities for months to develop infrastructure that lasts, often training local water technicians as part of the process. “It’s about people more than about plumbing,” she said. “It all begins and ends in the communities we work with.”
Although the full list of project locations wasn’t disclosed, the funds will support efforts in countries such as Colombia, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Malawi, and Kenya. Additional partners like GivePower and the Alok Foundation will help implement projects in rural Kenya and Brazil, respectively.
In the US, funds will go toward solutions like an atmospheric water generator for a senior home in Jackson, Mississippi, where the water system nearly collapsed in 2022. Another initiative, supported by DigDeep, will repair ageing infrastructure in Rhodell, West Virginia.
Among the campaign’s highlights is a field trip by the Stokes Twins, whose 129 million subscribers make them one of YouTube’s biggest channels. The brothers visited a remote village in Nepal, where the campaign is constructing a 15,000-litre water tank. For them, the visit was deeply personal, recalling their grandfather’s daily treks to fetch water during their childhood in a Chinese town.
“Being there in person was one of those experiences that brought it all back,” said Alex Stokes. “We saw these kids and it reminded us so much of our own childhood.”
The creators acknowledge that such campaigns are not a fix-all solution. Past efforts like #TeamTrees and #TeamSeas drew criticism for tackling symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of climate and pollution crises. But organisers insist the goal has always been to spark action, not provide a final answer.
“This isn’t meant to be the end all be all,” said digital strategist Matt Fitzgerald, who has helped lead the project. “We’re aiming to touch hearts first, so people stay engaged for the long haul.”
He added that unlike previous nature-focused drives, #TeamWater aims to place people at the centre while still keeping the planet in view. “Real progress demands attention and involvement long after the hashtags fade.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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