Thursday, January 31, 2008

India - biosand water filters, Springbank Middle School and a Village



Today, we told Mr. Bharathi about the money that the family raised at SMS and by topping it up a bit we have sponsored a village!!! This means 100 filters from SMS and because they pay 30% themselves (this makes them more empowered to use them and look after them), the 100 becomes 130 filters.

We saw 2 homes with filters in them yesterday and in one home, the woman showed us the open water that she got her water from. She then showed a cheesecloth that she used to strain out the worms!!
There were children around with the big bellies from malnutrition and diarrhea (not hers!). When I took the biosand filter course from CAWST I learned how diarrhea works. I didn't know that if the body senses a pathogen it immediately flushes everything from your system. In this way it rids itself of the pathogen, but in so doing, it also rids the body of any nutrients it might have taken in. The problem is not food, therefore, but because of diarrhea, there is no intake of nutrients. We have also seen lots of men with bowed legs which is another sign of a waterborne illness.

The women who had the filters said that their main problem before was constant throat infections and coughs, as well as diarrhea and now they don't have that anymore. We are going to meet some high executive from DHAN to make the presentation of the money as that is what Mr. Bharathi would like to do. Our program that he has set up here has been amazing and way better than in the north as he is a part of it. I would highly recommend this type of travel to see the real people and make a difference doing it!

We will find out the name of the village on Sunday and pass on that information then. Thank you again to everyone who contributed to this success. I can't even begin to describe the looks on the faces of these people who now will have a chance to see their children grow up and not die because they happened to be born into a place where clean water is not available.

Thank you again, Holly

1 comment:

Dadgunn said...

It is amazing what you are doing and how much you are helping the people over there. We are very proud of you!!

Love Dad (Grandpa) and Barb