In May 1991, a boy named Ryan Hreljac was born in Canada. By all appearances, his life would follow a familiar path—schooldays, friendships, chores, and the small discoveries of suburban childhood. Yet at just six years old, a single moment in his classroom changed the course of his life in a way few could have imagined.
One day, Ryan’s teacher spoke about life in parts of Africa where clean drinking water was scarce. She explained that children often walked long distances to collect small amounts of water, sometimes from polluted sources. Many became seriously ill; some even died from preventable diseases.
The idea struck Ryan with sudden force. He could not understand how children like him—children who played, studied, and dreamed—could live without something as basic as safe water.
With the direct honesty of a child, he raised his hand and asked a simple question:
“How much would it cost to give them clean water?”
His teacher explained that organizations such as WaterCan helped build wells, and that one well could cost around 70 dollars.
That evening, Ryan went straight to his mother, Susan, and announced his plan. He told her he needed 70 dollars to build a well for children in Africa.
Susan did not laugh or dismiss his request. Instead, she offered him a way to earn the money. Ryan began doing household chores—vacuuming, cleaning windows, dusting, pulling weeds—earning a few dollars at a time. Week after week, he worked steadily, saving every cent until he finally reached his goal.
Proud and determined, Ryan took his money to the WaterCan office. There, however, he learned that while 70 dollars could help with supplies, the true cost of drilling a well was closer to 2,000 dollars.
Susan gently explained that this was more than their family could afford. Ryan did not argue or give up. He simply said he would come back and raise the rest. And he did.
Over the following months, Ryan expanded his efforts. He took on more chores, went door to door, and shared his goal with anyone willing to listen. His sincerity inspired others—neighbors contributed, friends helped, and his school joined the effort. Slowly, one small donation at a time, Ryan reached the full amount.
By January 1999, the funds were complete, and a well was successfully drilled in northern Uganda. For the first time, an entire village had access to clean water without fear of disease.
But this achievement was only the beginning.
Through written correspondence, Ryan’s school connected with a nearby school in Uganda. There, he learned about Akana, a boy his own age who faced immense challenges simply to attend school. Deeply affected, Ryan asked his parents if he could travel to Uganda to meet the people whose lives had been changed by the well.
In 2000, Ryan arrived in the village. What he witnessed was unforgettable. Hundreds of people lined the road, forming a passageway, singing, clapping, and calling his name. Overwhelmed, Ryan asked his guide if they truly knew who he was. The guide replied that people within a hundred kilometers knew his name.
The boy who once earned money vacuuming his living room now stood halfway across the world, welcomed as a hero by an entire community.
Ryan could have stopped there. One well would have been enough for most people. Instead, he chose to continue. He helped establish Ryan’s Well Foundation, which grew far beyond its original purpose. Over time, the foundation funded more than 400 wells across Africa, providing clean water to over half a million people.
The organization’s work expanded to include education and sustainability. Communities learned to maintain water systems, manage resources responsibly, and ensure long-term access for future generations.
Today, Ryan is 33 years old. He is no longer the six-year-old boy who first raised his hand in a classroom, but a man whose persistence demonstrates how one idea can create lasting change. While many focus on things that fade quickly, his story is a reminder of what endures—compassion put into action.
Great change does not always begin on grand stages or in positions of power. Sometimes it begins quietly, with a child holding a broom, saving coins one by one, and refusing to give up until strangers across the world can drink clean water and survive.
Ryan’s life offers a powerful lesson: heroes are not defined by age, wealth, or status, but by their willingness to care and act.
Because of one child’s determination, hundreds of thousands found water—and through that water, many found hope.
