Vera Aqua Vera Vita
“Together we can give True Water True Life!”
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We are focused on solving the problem of the Global Water Crisis and meeting the needs of millions of people around the world who are dying and struggling daily to survive simply because they lack access to the basic necessities and right of clean water, propers sanitation services, and effective hygiene practices. Currently, 844 million people (1/10th of the world's population) lack even a basic drinking-water service, including 159 million people who are dependent on surface water. 2.3 billion people in the world still do not have basic sanitation facilities such as toilets or latrines. Today, one child under 5 dies from a water related disease every 2 minutes in developing countries.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene Improvement in Peru
The Problem:
Global Crisis
• The water crisis is the #1 global risk based on impact to society, and the #8 global risk based on likelihood of occurring within 10 years.
• By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's population living in water-stressed regions.
• 1.7 billion people live in areas where groundwater is being extracted faster than it is being replenished.
• 785 million people in the world do not have access to safe water (1/10th of the world’s population).
• 2.0 billion people live without adequate sanitation (1/3rd of the world’s populations).
• 443 million school days are lost each year due to water-related diseases.
• $260 billion is lost globally each year due to lack of adequate water supply and sanitation.
• Diarrhea caused by inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene kills an estimated 432,000 people every year globally, or approximately 2,300 people per day.
• Today, at least 2 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with feces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.
• Worldwide, 1 out of every 10 deaths of children under 5 is due to a water-related disease.
• Today, one child dies from a water related disease every 90 seconds.
Peru Crisis
• Only 75% of rural communities have basic (simple but unmanaged) drinking water services or better.
• Only 56% of rural communities have basic sanitation facilities.
• 12% of children under the age of 5 experience chronic diarrhea due to waterborne diseases.
What/Who?
• Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s (VAVV’s) Mission: By tapping into the physical and spiritual nature of water, we empower people and communities in developing countries to generate clean water and sanitation solutions that bring True Water True Life.
• Our Vision: We envision a world where death, hardship, and poverty caused by lack of access to clean water and improved sanitation are no more. We desire to see people flow from simply surviving to truly thriving!
• Our Belief: Lack of access to clean water and improved sanitation is the primary cause of poverty in developing countries. It is not enough to just give clean water; empowerment is the key to sustainable change!
• Scriptural Inspiration: Genesis 1:1-2, John 4:10, Matthew 25: 34-46
• Different in What Matters: 1.) Empowering (dignity of the person, “hand-up not hand-out", “teach how to fish don’t just give fish” 2.) Holistic Approach (incarnate body & soul, triple bottom line, catholic social teaching).
• Catholic Social Teaching:
o Solidarity: We invest time more than money to guide the people in the development and
implementation of a solution instead of just giving them a handout.
o Subsidiarity: We equip and train the people to manage, operate, and maintain their systems to continue
providing water and wastewater services for generations to come.
How?
Three Primary Programs:
1. Water and Sanitation Hygiene (W.A.S.H.) Community Development:
• Form in-country partners, collect data about needy communities, and design/construct water &
sanitation solutions.
• Train the communities to operate, maintain, and manage the implemented solutions.
2. Education (consisting of general W.A.S.H. Education + Theology of the Body (T.O.B.) education)
3. Mission Trips (fostering missionary spirit domestically & offering international mission trips)
Where?
• Peru, specifically the Piura Region of Peru
o VAVV currently has a shortlist of 7 rural communities (consisting of 2,000+ people total) we will be
serving starting this year and over the next couple of years.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of water projects built
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Low-income people, Working poor, Extremely poor people, Children, Seniors
Related Program
Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene Improvement in Peru
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors, Children, Extremely poor people, Low-income people, Working poor
Related Program
Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene Improvement in Peru
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Extremely poor people
Related Program
Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene Improvement in Peru
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of partipants educated in basic WASH Best Management Practices
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene Improvement in Peru
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Vera Aqua Vera Vita believes that it is our duty to help others, especially those that are less fortunate. We are all human and because of this we are all connected as one dynamic body. When people in this world are struggling day-to-day just to survive, not only do they suffer but we as a human race suffer because only when we are united and caring for our fellow man can we truly thrive and achieve our fullest potential instead of just simply surviving. We believe that by meeting people where they are with service and compassion focused on bringing physical and spiritual empowerment that we can help communities in developing countries to flow from simply Surviving to truly Thriving!
We aim to tap into the physical and spiritual nature of water to empower people and communities in developing countries to generate clean water and sanitation solutions that bring "True Water True Life." We are focused on empowerment of the people we serve in developing countries to ensure the implementation of best practices, education, and water & wastewater infrastructure that result in generation over generation, long-term, and sustainable solutions.
Vera Aqua Vera VIta works with communities in need to inspire, engineer, and implement solutions to their specific water, sanitation, and hygiene issues!
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
W.A.S.H. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
- STRATEGIC PARTNERS
The first step in successfully implementing a Water, Sanitation, and/or Hygiene solution is forming partnerships with local entities in the countries and regions we work within around the world. These partnerships serve as the backbone for engagement with the communities and help to position Vera Aqua Vera Vita as a trusted adviser and engineering consultant. One of the goals of the strategic partnerships is to establish a local liaison within the community that coordinates directly with Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s country-specific program manager.
- ASSESSMENT SURVEYS
-- Preliminary
Initial high-level research of the community, region, and country in regard to demographics, climate, governance, and water & sanitation situations are conducted by Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s country-specific program manager as needed.
-- Comprehensive
Results of the preliminary assessment survey are used to develop a community-specific comprehensive assessment survey. A representative sample of community households/people are identified based on demographic information acquired during the preliminary survey. With the help of community leadership, volunteers, and the local liaison, the comprehensive assessment survey is administered to the representative sample of households/people.
- WASH (WATER AND SANITATION HYGIENE) SOLUTION IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
1. Identify the water solution to meet the need
2. Use the Triple Bottom Line (People, Environment, and Economy) to evaluate and determine the best water solution
3. Develop a financing plan/model that engages the community's resources
4. Design the water solution using local consulting if possible
5. Construct the water solution using community "sweat equity" (i.e. volunteer labor from local residents) for manual labor
6. Transfer ownership of the water solution to the community after an agreed upon time period with the community
EDUCATION
-W.A.S.H. COMMUNITY EDUCATION
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene development solutions are only as effective as the education, instruction, and training that accompany them. It is for this very reason that Vera Aqua Vera Vita aims to develop a comprehensive educational and instructional program to empower the people we serve to ultimately be "the aqueducts of their own future solutions and development."
-THEOLOGY OF THE BODY EDUCATION
At the foundation of all that we are about is the dignity and immeasurable value of each and every human being we serve. It is for this reason that we desire to speak and teach truth to the people regarding the innate and indissoluble connection between their body (physical well-being) and soul (spiritual well-being). Water as the single most fundamental resource needed for organic life. It has deep spiritual significance for the human body as well. As human beings, we have a right to life that acknowledges the body - not just a housing unit for the soul - but as a true temple for the soul & the Holy Spirit!
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
An organization capabilities are only as good as it's people and our people are great! We have a fantastic team consisting of our well-rounded board of directors, a dedicated team of volunteers, and our founder, Jacob Niemeier, who is a water resources licensed Professional Engineer. Our board of directiors delivers experience in business, marketing, engineering, global development/humanitarian aid initiatives, and missionary-focused efforts. Our dedicated team of volunteers delivers skills in fundraising, financial bookkeeping and planning, and a heart & passion for the mission of missionary service to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Our founder brings immeasureable experience in mission work, global development initiatives, and engineering water and wastewater solutions in developing countries along with a strong background in business, entrepreneurship, and project management.
Simply put, our organizations capabilities are direct reflection of the incredible people that work for us!
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since our Founding in 2017, we have accomplished the following:
- Completed 2 projects in Peru.
- Provided access to clean water & sanitation services for over 7,000+ people in Peru
- Had a collective of 40+ volunteers serve with us in various capacities..
- Collectively fundraised nearly $300,000 in gross proceeds.
Our Vision for the 2021:
- Provide substantial capital investment funding of $106,500 funded by Grant Money to repair 20 manholes and 720 linear feet of sanitary sewer system piping in need of immediate repair in Monte Castillo, Piura, Peru.
- Complete 2-3 new community projects in the Piura Region of Peru.
- Provide access to clean water & sanitation to 1,500+ new people across 2-3 new communities in the Piura Region of Peru.
- Continue to grow our volunteer base to a steady number of 50+ volunteers.
- Fundraise in total approximately $300,000.
Our Vision for Beyond 2021:
- Consistently serve & complete 3+ new community projects every year.
- Consistently provide access to clean water for 7,000+ new people every year.
- Expand our reach and service to countris other than Peru. Haiti, Jaimaica, and various countries in Africa are on the radar.
- Consistently raise $500,000+ a year to fund our mission to "Give the Gift of True Water True Life" to as many people as we can!
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Vera Aqua Vera Vita
Board of directorsas of 01/19/2024
Jacob Niemeier
Vera Aqua Vera Vita
Term: 2017 -
Jeff Niemeier
Niemeier Process Safety
Sonja Cook
Plummer
Eduardo Palma
Retired
Matthew Lampe
Absolute Equine
Christopher Loy
Retired
Daniel Joseph Hennessy
Garfield Public/Private LLC
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/28/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.