Template:Appeal/Basil/en

The greatest eureka moment of my life happened in 2004, when I was 15 years old.

I was researching the U.S. presidential election for a school report, but the encyclopedia at home was from 1993. I needed the up-to-date information of the Internet and the reliability of an encyclopedia. And I found both in Wikipedia.

After that I was hooked. I spent nearly all my free time on the site, and even started editing. It allowed me to unleash my fascinations and discover all kinds of things I was curious about.

I use Wikipedia every day. That’s why I feel a sort of moral obligation to give something when I see the fundraising campaign. I hope you feel the same way, because instead of running annoying ads, Wikipedia runs on reader donations and depends on our support.

Will you pitch in a little today?

You wouldn’t question that you have to pay for your Internet service or electricity or running water, right? Wikipedia is just as much a utility, with costs that are just as real.

To be the #5 website in the world, to serve hundreds of millions of people every day, that all takes technology, servers, staff and, well, money.

Please donate $5, €10, ¥1000 or whatever you can afford. Every bit will help keep Wikipedia active, alive and providing all of us with the full spectrum of human knowledge.

Thank you,

Basil Soufi
Wikipedia Author