153. Formidable Joy - Cindee Rood

We cover:

* What is the greatest compliment

* Dealing with the "What am I doing doubt."

* Helping 12,000 babies get access to water

And much more

Cindee Rood is the Founder and Executive Director of Formidable Joy, an LA-based, grassroots nonprofit, whose sole mission is to provide access to clean water in Malawi, Africa.

It was Cindee’s love of travel that led to her life of service. She has traveled throughout the world - 60+ countries & counting. However, the more off-the-beaten-path she traveled, the more poverty she saw, and the more she could no longer “unsee” it.

She wanted to do something to make a difference.

She found that the simplest-solution and most cost-effective way to improve the health and overall quality of life for people is to provide schools and communities access to clean water.

To date, she has personally completed over 100 water projects throughout 17 districts in Malawi. Remote villages, primary and secondary schools, health centers, Dzaleka Refugee Camp (the largest refugee camp in Malawi), and the only state-of-the-art children’s hospital in Malawi, have all benefited from her work.

Oftentimes, the beneficiaries in remote communities were formally collecting their water from rivers, streams, unprotected wells, or by digging holes in the ground.

Some of her notable projects include:

· 3 additional new water points at Dzaleka Refugee Camp - home to 38,000 residents

· The installation of a solar water system at Mercy James Pediatric Center - built by Madonna in 2017.

· The Installation of a new backup water system for the Maternity Ward of the largest hospital in the country. 12,000 babies are born there each year, yet the hospital can go days without water

And she is just getting started…

Cindee is also an active member within other nonprofits including:

UNICEF – Chair of the Speakers Series Committee in Los Angeles, Freedom to Choose Project – Volunteer at men’s and women’s prisons, Rotary Club of Beverly Hills - International Committee member, WASRAG water committee member, District water committee member.

Prior to her life in nonprofit, Cindee was an executive at Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two teenage sons

Stay connected with Cindee:

Website: https://www.formidablejoy.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/formidablejoyorg/

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