Amazing Kids Feature: The Smith Sisters

Every month we profile an Amazing Kid who has gone above and beyond to support Water for South Sudan (WFSS). This month, we sat down with a group of three sisters from Pennsylvania, USA, who decided to forgo birthday presents and asked their family and friends to donate to Water for South Sudan instead. 

Saige and Farrah, twins in the 8th grade, as well as their younger sister, Helene, who is heading into 2nd grade, were all born within a few days of each other in March. For the past few years, the sisters have decided to donate to charity to mark their special days—they’ve raised money for Blessings in a Backpack, collected hats and gloves for families in need, and gathered pet supplies for local animal shelters. This year, after reading A Long Walk to Water at school and realizing how lucky they are to have access to running water, Saige and Farrah decided that this year’s birthdays should benefit WFSS. They got straight to work—the sisters explored the WFSS website, set up a fundraising page, and even created a flyer to ask family and friends to donate. They ended up raising $1,862 to fund clean water. When telling their grandfather about their project, he shared stories and information about the Lost Boys of Sudan, whom he had come in contact with as a school psychologist. 

From left to right: Farrah, Helene, & Saige

When asked what advice they would give to anyone fundraising, Saige suggests finding a partner or group to do it with, and Farrah says to come up with a plan, and then just go for it. Their mom Amber remarks that she’s proud of their big hearts, and she hopes that their efforts have inspired their family and friends. 

In her spare time, Saige likes to play sports, especially soccer, and her favorite subject in school is math. Farrah enjoys playing sports and math too, as well as reading and baking. Helene says she likes recess time at school. 

Every day we’re grateful for Amazing Kids like Saige, Farrah, and Helene—young people who step up to make a life-changing difference for South Sudan’s most vulnerable communities. Thank you for inspiring us and making our work possible!