A moment later, the best man at the wedding took a sip from his water bottle. Immediately, children appeared, arms outstretched. He handed it to them, and they clutched it as if it were a treasure. That single gesture stirred something deep in all of us. Our bus, fully stocked with water, suddenly felt like a lifeline. We handed out everything we had, but word spread fast. Nearly 100 children surrounded us, thirsty and hopeful. The guide told us it hadn’t rained in the region, in five years.

Shaken, we abandoned our safari, drove to the nearest village, and bought all the water, flour, and butter we could find. Returning to the village, we gave it all away—and yet the feeling of having done too little lingered. It followed me home to Sweden. It kept me awake at night.

With the support of friends and colleagues, I launched the Operakällaren Foundation—a space where generosity meets purpose, and where every crown raised brings us closer to a world where no one is left behind because of something as basic as clean water.

Seventeen years later, the foundation has grown into Sweden’s leading private charity event, raising over SEK 55 million. We’ve stood alongside UNCF, WaterAid, and today, we are proud to begin a new chapter with charity: water, led by the inspiring Scott Harrison—an organization driven by radical transparency, innovation, and the belief that clean water changes everything.

As Jan Eliasson, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, once said:
“In every crisis I’ve witnessed, one theme always returns: water. Without it, there’s no health, no education, no peace, no growth. Water is the starting point for dignity and development.”