Red Bull TV releases Waves for Water documentary

Waves for Water features interviews with Rose and those close to him, detailing the events that led him to become a humanitarian, as well as how his grassroots organisation, Waves For Water, has grown from a one-off surf trip in Sumatra to an international NGO.

Jon Rose

Inspired by his father Jack Rose and the work he was doing in Africa using filters to help people catch and filter rainwater, Rose discovered that his true calling was to bring clean drinking water through the distribution of portable water filters to millions of people who need it most.

After extensive research and discovering a simple filtration process, in 2009 Rose set out to Bali on his first clean water mission armed with ten filters. During a quick surf stop in the city of Padang, Indonesia, an earthquake hit that completely devastated the area. Surviving the earthquake without a scratch, Rose travelled inland to distribute the filters where they were most needed. Though he didn’t realise it at the time, this was the birth of his organisation: Waves For Water.

We interviewed Rose to find out more about the documentary, and the Waves For Water mission.

Why was the decision made to document the Waves For Water journey?

I was approached by Red Bull in 2014 to be in a new reality doc series focused around the "new face" of social entrepreneurship. That concept then morphed into a feature doc more focused around Waves For Water and my life leading up to it. I was hesitant at first, not because of them, just because I didn't get into my line of work to be on TV and I thought the process might infringe upon the integrity of my programs on the ground. That said, I knew we had hit a ceiling in how we're communicating our message, so I agreed to do the project with hopes that it would help spread our message to a bigger audience.

It's never easy to watch yourself on screen but I think they did a great job capturing some of the key layers of what we do... I'm happy with the finished product.

What do you hope is the impact of the documentary?

I hope that people see it and feel inspired to get involved. Doing good can be cool and that is what I hope people take away from the film.

What were some of the highlights during production?

The entire thing was a highlight. We didn't stop nor change our day-to-day because of the cameras. We continued on the Waves For Water mission.

Could you unpack guerrilla humanitarianism for us and the no-nonsense approach of Waves For Water?

Guerrilla humanitarianism is about taking matters into your own hands, bringing a solution directly to a problem, under the radar and around the red tape. Encouraged by the proven efficiency of this model, Waves For Water is focused on effecting a global change, one that addresses the challenges faced by philanthropic initiatives in a more decentralised way.

What have been the most notable accomplishments so far for the organisation?

We have initiated 105 programs in over 27 countries, consisting of water filtration systems (150,000+ filters implemented), wells and rain-water harvesting systems, with an estimated 7,000,000 people impacted.

What do you think has motivated corporates like BMW and PayPal to get involved?

I think they see a viable solution. The way the Waves For Water operates is unique - we work with world leaders and strategic partners who take a no-nonsense attitude toward making global change.

We are also founded on a unique philosophy: “doing what you love and helping along the way”. It’s about following your heart and plugging purpose into your passion. We encourage people to look at aid work or humanitarianism as a lifestyle, rather than a component of doing good and giving back. It’s a paradigm shift in the way we currently think: you do what you love - sail, surf, bike, hike, etc., and then plug in a purpose along the way. Not only does it create a very vital existence, it enhances everything you do. I think our brand partners see this and value it as a way to spark change and make a difference.

What is the organisations main message when travelling the world?

The main thing is to remember that just because you come from a place with more resources, opportunity, and education, doesn’t mean you know what’s best for someone in a developing region. I am constantly reminded that most of the people in these places know more than I ever will about their environment and the only job I really have is to provide new tools to help them shape their own plans to a better existence.

Watch Waves for Water at www.redbull.tv/wavesforwater. For more info on the organisation, go to www.wavesforwater.org.