by RYN MACARTHUR
Intern Lifestyles Reporter

Dickson “Doc” Hendley, President of Wine to Water, experienced more in one year in Darfur than he ever could in the four years he served as a bartender. 

After bartending for four years, Hendley decided he didn’t want to be a bartender all his life.

He found distributors who would donate wine and beer, and sold the beverages at regular market value.

Dickson Hendley volunteers to help the local people in Darfur. His non-profit business, Wine to Water, raises money for water filtration systems. Special to The Appalachian

The profits went to fundraising for water filtration systems in Africa. 

“Water is overlooked,” Hendley, said. “Children don’t get education because they are looking for water.”

The poorest of the poor in the United States can still get water from the tap at a public bathroom, whereas families in Africa walk four hours to get water, Hendley said.

In August 2004, Samaritan’s Purse hired Hendley for a mission to Darfur.

He ran from one town to another camp passing out chlorine tablets to the survivors of the Janjaweed’s attacks.

“The Janjaweed saw me as a direct threat, they tried to kill me a few times,” Hendley said.

Hendley has many intense stories of life in Darfur.

The Janjaweed lined up his men execution style, bashed them with the butts of their guns and shot at his vehicle.

In 2005, he left Samaritan’s Purse to found Wine to Water.

Since then, the organization helped to establish a project and water system in an orphanage in India, a well in a Leper colony in India and a bio-sand filter and proper hygiene project in Uganda, in addition to many other projects.

Wine to Water has projects in seven different countries.  

Hendley uses locals from the country he is in to breed the idea they are capable of serving their country.

“It gives a sense of pride, local Ugandans helping Ugandans,” Hendley said.

Their projects in Cambodia are possible due to Annie Clawson, vice president of Wine to Water.

Before Clawson began with Wine to Water, she lived in Southeast Asia.

When she came back from Cambodia, she did not have a career.

Through a mutual friend, Hendley met Clawson, and she was hired in 2007.

Recently, the duo went their separate ways; Hendley traveled to Uganda and Ethiopia while Clawson traveled to Cambodia for roughly two months.

They use two methods to raise money for their projects.

“The first is by selling wine at the common retail price,” Hendley said. “Because we are non-profit, money goes to supporting efforts in other countries.”

Monthly donators cover administrative costs.

“The monthly donations keep us going,” Hendley said.

Alan Peterson is the CEO of Hospitality Mints and a crucial monthly contributor to Wine to Water. 

“Seventy percent of people in Africa are in hospitals due to not having drinking water.” Peterson said.

Peterson believes Americans have an obligation to help. 

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