Safe Water After Typhoon Haiyan
Donation protected
The 1 year anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan(or Yolanda as it is known in the Philippines), one of the strongest storms of its kind ever recorded, is less than 6 weeks away. Around Tacloban, where approximately 90% of the city was destroyed in the storm, many poor families living in the rural areas still have no access to safe drinking water. These families have no choice but to collect water from open wells like the one shown below. Cases of dysentery are very common here and cholera outbreaks can happen quickly when communal water sources such as this get contaminated.
Mark Hilhorst has had the opportunity to work in Tacloban with an aid organization for the past 4 months and will be there through the end of 2014.
Having experienced the extreme water situation firsthand, Mark knew that something needed to be done to help those in the rural areas around where he was involved. Through previous work in southern Africa, Mark has seen what a difference the Sawyer biological water filters can make in areas with no clean water source(www.sawyer.com). Mark took a few sample filters from South Africa to Tacloban when he went there and was overwhelmed by the response once people saw how simple and effective the Sawyer bucket filter systems were at removing 100% of all bacteria and protozoa, this includes things like dysentery, cholera, E. coli and typhoid. Sawyer water filters can last 10 or 20 years without needing any replacement parts and require no chemicals or electricity. Here is a picture of a member of the community filling up water jugs with a Sawyer filter that Mark set up in Tacloban.
The Tacloban Rotary Club has been very active in restoration efforts after Typhoon Haiyan. Through his work there, Mark has gotten to know the club's Community Service Director well and he was asked to demonstrate the Sawyer filters at a recent club meeting.
After seeing the filter, the Rotary Club was very excited to join Mark in this project. Having connections now with Sawyer Products and the Tacloban Rotary Club, Mark has access to Sawyer filters already sitting in Manilla and the distribution channel through the Rotary Club's existing water and sanitation project that is helping areas that haven't received outside aid after the storm.
The initial goal is to raise enough funds to supply at least 100 Sawyer bucket filter kits to families around rural Tacloban. For every $60 received, a Sawyer bucket filter kit will be delivered to a family which will allow them enough safe water daily to drink, cook and clean with. Every donor giving $60 or more will receive a personal picture of a family that received the filter because of their generosity.
Please consider joining Mark and the Tacloban Rotary Club as they work toward providing the opportunity for safe drinking water to thousands.
Thank you.
Mark Hilhorst has had the opportunity to work in Tacloban with an aid organization for the past 4 months and will be there through the end of 2014.
Having experienced the extreme water situation firsthand, Mark knew that something needed to be done to help those in the rural areas around where he was involved. Through previous work in southern Africa, Mark has seen what a difference the Sawyer biological water filters can make in areas with no clean water source(www.sawyer.com). Mark took a few sample filters from South Africa to Tacloban when he went there and was overwhelmed by the response once people saw how simple and effective the Sawyer bucket filter systems were at removing 100% of all bacteria and protozoa, this includes things like dysentery, cholera, E. coli and typhoid. Sawyer water filters can last 10 or 20 years without needing any replacement parts and require no chemicals or electricity. Here is a picture of a member of the community filling up water jugs with a Sawyer filter that Mark set up in Tacloban.
The Tacloban Rotary Club has been very active in restoration efforts after Typhoon Haiyan. Through his work there, Mark has gotten to know the club's Community Service Director well and he was asked to demonstrate the Sawyer filters at a recent club meeting.
After seeing the filter, the Rotary Club was very excited to join Mark in this project. Having connections now with Sawyer Products and the Tacloban Rotary Club, Mark has access to Sawyer filters already sitting in Manilla and the distribution channel through the Rotary Club's existing water and sanitation project that is helping areas that haven't received outside aid after the storm.
The initial goal is to raise enough funds to supply at least 100 Sawyer bucket filter kits to families around rural Tacloban. For every $60 received, a Sawyer bucket filter kit will be delivered to a family which will allow them enough safe water daily to drink, cook and clean with. Every donor giving $60 or more will receive a personal picture of a family that received the filter because of their generosity.
Please consider joining Mark and the Tacloban Rotary Club as they work toward providing the opportunity for safe drinking water to thousands.
Thank you.
Organizer
Darin Fey
Organizer