Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Experience-Installing 34 Biosand Water Filters in Haiti
Today I am blogging from Pierre Payan, Haiti, about 90 minutes north of Port Au Prince. It is 8:30pm local time and I just expereinced one of the most eye opening days of my life!!
Our day started early, about 4:45 AM. The Rollings, the couple that run the mission here in Haiti, have been great hosts and had breakfast ready at 5AM.
After our bellies were nurtured with a solid breakfast we were off with 5 of Clean Water For Haiti's staff to a remote valley about 90 minutes north east of Pierre Payan to install 34 biosand filters to various families.
7:AM-After an extremely bumpy ride we arrived at our first stop and met with village representative Lexis who guided us to the various homes that had ordered filters.
Before I continue, I should give you an idea of how this all works. You may ask who gets filters and who doesn't? It's quite simple: The philosophy of the mission is that by charging families a small amount, 40 Haitian dollars ($5US) per filter, the family takes pride and improves overall health and well being. The mission does not believe in handouts as they have found in the past that recipients do not take care of the filter and generally neglect it. By having a choice and being aware of the benefits of drinking filtered clean water, heads of families are acting responsibly and taking control of their families health!! What a great thing!! Clean water for Haiti does subsidize the majority of the costs of making the filter ($40 US) and employs 19 locals as well as sources all the building materials in Haiti. (Made in Haiti Product)
This town that we delivered the filters today has a population of about 1200, and after seeing with my own eyes how brown the river water is and how many people and animals were bathing, and drinking from it, I am convinced the every family in the whole village needs a filter.
The day did not go without any hiccups. Our truck got stuck in mud for about 30 minutes and we witnessed a huge truck with passengers almost tip over as it backed up right into a huge patch of mud! About 300 people gathered around the scene as we were forced to wheelbarrow the filters around the scene in the humid heat and sweat coming off all the workers as well as our faces as we helped move about 5 of the 175 pound filters about a third of a km!!
So what did we learn today? Haiti is one of the most water impovershed and poorest nations in the world and we are so fortunate to live in a country like Canada. We also learned that it is great to see poor families make conscious decisions and improve the quality of their families life by purchasing a biosand water filter! With more education and awareness more and more families will realize that little investment will be the best gift they can possible ever give there loved ones!
God bless this mission and all the children who were curious who the foreigner that looked different than them was!
Our day started early, about 4:45 AM. The Rollings, the couple that run the mission here in Haiti, have been great hosts and had breakfast ready at 5AM.
After our bellies were nurtured with a solid breakfast we were off with 5 of Clean Water For Haiti's staff to a remote valley about 90 minutes north east of Pierre Payan to install 34 biosand filters to various families.
7:AM-After an extremely bumpy ride we arrived at our first stop and met with village representative Lexis who guided us to the various homes that had ordered filters.
Before I continue, I should give you an idea of how this all works. You may ask who gets filters and who doesn't? It's quite simple: The philosophy of the mission is that by charging families a small amount, 40 Haitian dollars ($5US) per filter, the family takes pride and improves overall health and well being. The mission does not believe in handouts as they have found in the past that recipients do not take care of the filter and generally neglect it. By having a choice and being aware of the benefits of drinking filtered clean water, heads of families are acting responsibly and taking control of their families health!! What a great thing!! Clean water for Haiti does subsidize the majority of the costs of making the filter ($40 US) and employs 19 locals as well as sources all the building materials in Haiti. (Made in Haiti Product)
This town that we delivered the filters today has a population of about 1200, and after seeing with my own eyes how brown the river water is and how many people and animals were bathing, and drinking from it, I am convinced the every family in the whole village needs a filter.
The day did not go without any hiccups. Our truck got stuck in mud for about 30 minutes and we witnessed a huge truck with passengers almost tip over as it backed up right into a huge patch of mud! About 300 people gathered around the scene as we were forced to wheelbarrow the filters around the scene in the humid heat and sweat coming off all the workers as well as our faces as we helped move about 5 of the 175 pound filters about a third of a km!!
So what did we learn today? Haiti is one of the most water impovershed and poorest nations in the world and we are so fortunate to live in a country like Canada. We also learned that it is great to see poor families make conscious decisions and improve the quality of their families life by purchasing a biosand water filter! With more education and awareness more and more families will realize that little investment will be the best gift they can possible ever give there loved ones!
God bless this mission and all the children who were curious who the foreigner that looked different than them was!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Off To Haiti We Go
On Tuesday the 9th, Isabel Prosper and I will be going down to Haiti to spend a week with the mission, Clean Water for Haiti.
We are both so excited and look forward to sharing our thoughts, insights, photos and videos on this blog. Part of the reason for taking this trip is to show everyone who has donated where their generous donations have gone and the change because of it.
Haiti is a volatile country, but vibrant and colorful. Here is an interesting link on Haiti http://www.lonelyplanet.com/haiti
Next time I post it will be in Haiti.
Thanks all for all the support.
God Bless!!
We are both so excited and look forward to sharing our thoughts, insights, photos and videos on this blog. Part of the reason for taking this trip is to show everyone who has donated where their generous donations have gone and the change because of it.
Haiti is a volatile country, but vibrant and colorful. Here is an interesting link on Haiti http://www.lonelyplanet.com/haiti
Next time I post it will be in Haiti.
Thanks all for all the support.
God Bless!!
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