Nationality American Role Charity founder | Name Scott Harrison Known for Charity: Water | |
Spouse(s) Viktoria Harrison (nee Alexeeva) Residence New York City, New York, United States Profiles | ||
Scott Harrison (born September 7, 1975) is a former club promoter who founded and is the current CEO of the non-profit charity: water.
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Early life
Harrison was born an only child in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Charles and Joan Harrison. His family relocated and he was raised in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. When Harrison was four years old, his mother was exposed to carbon monoxide from a cracked furnace installed in their new energy efficient home. His mother's immune system was destroyed and she became an invalid. As a result, Harrison grew up taking care of his mother and the household. Years later his mother was miraculously healed. He credits his family's deep Christian faith for giving them hope that one day his mother would be healed.
At age 18, Harrison left home for New York City and enrolled at New York University (NYU). He graduated from NYU with a bachelor's degree in communications in 1998. Harrison admits he was not a diligent student, and began working as a nightclub and party promoter in Manhattan. He spent the next 10 years throwing lavish parties for the likes of MTV, VH1, Bacardi and Elle. Harrison describes this as a time when he was "chasing after models," mingling with the New York City elite and indulging in illicit drugs including cocaine and ecstasy.
When he was 28, Harrison had a "crisis of conscience" during a vacation in Uruguay. Harrison had an epiphany about his job and life: "I was selling selfishness and decadence." He recalled feeling like "the most selfish, sycophantic and miserable human being" and "the worst person I knew."
In August 2004, Harrison quit his job and volunteered as a photojournalist for the Christian charity Mercy Ships, which operates a fleet of hospital ships offering free healthcare. He served aboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis in West Africa, taking over 60,000 photos in 13 months. While on his first mission trip with Mercy Ships, Harrison received word that his mother was "miraculously healed" of her illness.
charity: water
During his two years with Mercy Ships, Harrison was exposed to the harsh conditions of the impoverished in Liberia. He realized that 80% of all the diseases they encountered were attributable to unsafe water and poor sanitation. He wanted to commit to a life of service, and decided that the lack of clean water was the biggest obstacle facing the poor.
Harrison founded charity: water on September 7, 2006, on the night of his 31st birthday. In lieu of receiving gifts, he charged his friends $20 each to attend his party at the yet unopened Tenjune nightclub. He raised $15,000 that night, which went towards fixing three wells and building three more at a refugee camp in Northern Uganda.
charity: water uses all public donations to directly fund water projects such as building wells and sanitation facilities. Since its founding, charity: water has established 25 local partnerships, funded approximately 13,641 projects in 19 countries and provided roughly 4.6 million people with clean water. The organization's goal is to bring clean water to 100 million people by 2020.
Personal life
Harrison is married to Viktoria Harrison. The two were wed on September 26, 2009, in Washington, Connecticut. Viktoria Harrison currently serves as the Director of Design and Branding at charity: water.
Harrison often cites his Christian faith as a source of inspiration and motivation in his work and life. His spiritual re-awakening led him to volunteer with Mercy Ships and to found charity: water. As CEO of charity: water, Scott was compensated $191,823 in the 2012 fiscal year.