Imagine harnessing the irresistible user experience and community-building aspects of social media apps — for pure good.

The DonorSee app crowdfunds support for the world’s poorest individuals, and uniquely allows donors to see how their money makes an impact through raw video updates.

When I met DonorSee Founder Gret Glyer for the first time, I thought his idea sounded interesting, but I had no idea how two aspects of DonorSee would soon shock me.

First, I downloaded the app and in a matter of minutes had made a small donation to a worthy cause: contributing to a well-building project in Chinguluma Village, Malawi, where a village of 300 families lived 45 minutes from the nearest “safe” water source. Multiple people were dying every year from contaminated water.

Across several weeks, 197 donors raised $9,000 and got a new well built.

Providing clean water for each family there for a year only costs $1.48.

As the construction occurred and the village finally celebrated their new water source with infectious enthusiasm, I received video updates in the app. Real people. Real stories. Real emotional impact. Donors liked me piled on celebratory comments. It was incredibly positive and authentic. Almost the opposite of Twitter or Youtube comment feeds.