Little Heroes Foundation provides clean water to help children live healthy lifestyles

In 2012, the Little Heroes Foundation was able to install clean water machines in 25 boarding schools located in Zhongwei, China. It is estimated an additional 30,000 children a year will have access to safe drinking water from the machines.

Located in the desert region of the Ningxia Providence, Zhongwei is a poor area where the average income is $535 yearly per household and access to clean water is limited. Children in the area are the most vulnerable to disease through drinking the water, which causes them to be too sick to attend school.

Little Heroes partnered with the YangFan Foundation, which was able to develop an efficient system of purchasing and installing clean water filtering machines in local boarding schools.

So far, machines have been installed in 25 boarding schools. The Little Heroes Foundation has committed to fund another 25 schools for the drinking water machines. The machines have helped 14,983 children thus far. It is estimated that each year, an additional 30,000 children will be helped by receiving access to the clean water.

Founded in 2007 by Travis and LaRee Hansen, the Little Heroes Foundation's mission is to "improve the mental and physical well being of children throughout the world by serving, supporting and enhancing human life," according to its website. Members of the organization choose one major project each year which they help plan, fund and oversee.

Along with its sponsor support, the Little Heroes Foundation has received generous private donations. All donations received by the organization are used to help improve lives around the world. For more information on the Little Heroes Foundation, visit its website at littleheroesfoundation.org.

Kylie Lewis is an intern for the Deseret News where she writes for Mormon Times and does other feature articles. She recently graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho, receiving a bachelor's degree in communications.