Emily's Outstanding Work is Changing Lives

On October 22nd, at halftime of the Sounders v Colorado game, Seattle United’s own Emily Piette was honored as a recipient of the Sounders FC Humanitarian of the Year award.  The G99 Copa player was an extremely deserving honoree based on her impressive volunteering efforts with Water1st International.  Water1st unites people to end the walk for water for women and girls by supporting water and toilet projects that result in improved health, education, economic opportunities and dignity for all.

The Sounders FC Humanitarian of the Year award is given to young players that are volunteering and making and impact in their community, while displaying the Sounders FC valued attributes of ambition, innovation and collaboration.

From Water1st Founder and Executive Director Marla Smith-Nilson:

Emily Piette has been a Water1st youth board member for the past five years and was accepted to the Water1st Global Fellow program the past two years.  The Global Fellow program is a year-long global development program which includes a seminar/volunteer experience in our project communities in Ethiopia and Honduras. Emily was a vital member of the Global Fellow team as she demonstrated team leadership through: inclusivity, intellectual curiosity, compassion, and openness to learning from women and girls in our project communities who are constrained by lack of access to clean water.  Emily utilized her photography skills to document the journey and to share the lives and stories of the women she met.  Emily was a soccer ambassador everywhere she went as she rallied kids in each of the communities with full field soccer matches.  Additionally, she had the opportunity to meet with the Ethiopia Women’s National Futbol Club while in Addis Ababa.

In addition to her global ambassador role, Emily has impacted Seattle teens with her photos and stories and has inspired them to be advocates through fundraising for the annual Water1st Carry5 Walk for Water.  She has rallied over 60 teens to walk over the past five years—this means carrying 5 gallons of water for 5 kilometers to experience what most women and girls do each day.  She has generated over $25,000 through fundraising campaigns to transform the lives of the women and girls she met in Ethiopia, Honduras and Bangladesh.

Congratulations, Emily.  Keep up the outstanding work!