Youth in Philanthropy: Paper for Water Seven Years Later

In 2018, AFP honored three remarkable young changemakers—Isabelle, Katherine, and Trinity Adams—with the William R. Simms Award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, for their work founding Paper for Water. What began with a few origami ornaments and a goal of raising $500 to build a single well in Ethiopia, blossomed into a nonprofit that by 2018 had raised over $1.5 million, funding more than 160 clean water projects in 15 countries.

It’s now been seven years since they received their award, so we wanted to catch up with Isabelle, Katherine, and Trinity, now 21, 19, and 15, to reflect on their journey, see how their work has evolved, and hear what the future holds for these exceptional young women.

Q: Paper for Water was founded in 2011, 14 years ago. You all have grown up alongside this organization that you started. What has it been like beginning this project at such a young age and keeping it going as you’ve gotten older and grown into teenagers, now young adults?
A: It has been incredible to invest so much time and energy into this organization and watching it grow. Over the years, Isabelle and I have had to learn how to adjust and change how we are involved with our organization. Now that we are both in college, our day-to-day involvement looks different. Despite this, Paper for Water is still an important part of our lives, and we remain committed to bringing the water and the word to the thirsty, one piece of paper at a time.

Q: Paper for Water started with you making and selling origami ornaments to fund a well in Ethiopia. How have you expanded both your fundraising efforts and your mission as the organization has grown?
A: Over the years, we have gone from primarily relying on origami ornaments for fundraising to now incorporating large-scale installations, grants, and corporate events. This shift has been crucial to our organization’s success because origami is an incredibly time-consuming and intricate art form. We still utilize origami regularly, but it is no longer our sole means of fundraising.

Q: As you’ve gotten older, your roles in the organization have evolved as well with Isabelle and Katherine, you both serving as co-CEOs, and Trinity now serving as chief creative officer. What have you learned about leadership, collaboration, and the actual business of running a nonprofit over the years?
A: The most important thing I have learned over the years about leadership is delegation and appreciation. It is impossible to accomplish anything significant without the support of others around you. Being able to take a step back and ask for help is a skill I have worked on over the years. It is far too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you must manage everything within your organization for things to run smoothly.  Learning how to teach others and then rely on their capabilities has been a crucial part of leading this organization. As far as the actual business of running a nonprofit goes, I quickly realized that it takes many people with diverse skill sets to have a successful organization.

Q: You’re all in school on top of your involvement with Paper for Water. How do you
find the time for everything? Does it ever get overwhelming?
A: Yes, it definitely can be overwhelming at times. Between juggling school, Paper for Water, and sports, it's a struggle to find time for other things. As the years have progressed, this issue has become easier to navigate as I have improved my time management skills. However, it is still a challenge. At the end of the day, it comes down to how I can spend my time most effectively while also helping the most people. There are never enough hours in the day, and inevitably, I will never be able to do it all, but I choose to prioritize important things with long-lasting impact.

Q: I know you travel to a lot of the places where your work has made a difference and you’ve been able to see first-hand the impact that you’re making. Have there been any recent trips or projects that have stood out for you in the last few years that have inspired you to continue this work?
A: Last summer, we were able to travel to Guatemala with our Change Makers, who are a group of young people dedicated to fundraising and advocating for Paper for Water. This was an amazing trip where we got to see a water well drilled firsthand and a community transformed. For the youth on the trip, this was a very inspiring experience and has reignited their passion and dedication for eradicating the world water crisis.

Q: You received the award in 2018, pre-pandemic. Did you find in 2020 that COVID shifted your priorities at all or changed how you engaged these communities you serve that were already struggling with sanitation and now faced a global pandemic on top of already challenging conditions?
A: 100% yes. COVID changed a lot for our organization. Before the pandemic, we hosted numerous large-scale origami folding events and community engagement activities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all of that was put on hold, and after social distancing was no longer required, we continued to cut back on those kinds of events. The silver lining of COVID for us was the expansion of our virtual activities, including corporate volunteer events and team-building activities with companies and their team members worldwide. We even had a virtual 30-day origami challenge that engaged kids and teachers globally.

Q: What advice would you give to other young people who want to start a philanthropic project or nonprofit? Have you had the opportunity to do any mentorship, passing on what you’ve learned to other young philanthropists or entrepreneurs?
A: To be honest, Isabelle and I used to tell young people that they needed to start their nonprofits to help people, but what we have come to understand slowly is that, in most cases, it is better to find an organization you are passionate about and volunteer with them. While this is not always true, and there are so many organizations being started every year that make a huge impact, I am here to say that running a nonprofit takes a village. It is a labor of love and comes with huge responsibility. The bottom line is this: follow your dreams, and the sky's the limit. However, know that if you choose to start your own nonprofit, it will be a massive part of your life and everything you do for the foreseeable future. I do not want to discourage any young people from starting their own projects, but I want to make them aware of the commitment that will be required.

Q: What’s next for each of you individually—and for Paper For Water?
A: I have just completed my freshman year at Southern Methodist University, where I am majoring in biology on the pre-med track. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing and cycling. I am currently preparing to attend USA Track Cycling nationals later this year and am stoked to compete on a national level. As for Paper for Water, we have our annual fundraising event scheduled for the fall, and we are planning some exciting projects for this upcoming year. We are also focusing efforts on organizing a trip to Kenya in the summer of 2026.

Interested in honoring inspiring youth in your community? Applications are currently open for the 2026 William R. Simms Award for Youth in Philanthropy, sponsored by Carter. Submit your nomination by December 19, 2025.