GOAL FOR 2010 – RAIN CATCHMENT TANKS FOR ALL INDIGENOUS SCHOOLS

By our OSDW reporter –

“Not just another year,” Joe Bass of OSDW says, but “a year in which every child will have safe, clean water.”

How is this possible?  Because, as the song says raindrops do keep falling.

But instead of forming polluted, disease-bearing puddles kids drink from our rain-catchment tanks will provide safe water with the kids and feed it into school kitchens where their lunches are cooked  and dishes washed – often with water from unclean sources.

“Schools should be where kids go to learn, not to go and get sick from bad water,” Joe said.

Every school tries to give their kids safe water, of course, but it’s often just not available. Kids run, play, get hot and drink whatever water there is, often becoming sick from worms which leads to anemia, dysentery and malnutrition.

Once they get sick and fall behind in school many give up, perpetuating the iron grip of poverty from generation to generation.

Our tanks are simple, easy-to-maintain, have only one moving part –-the faucet—last for years — and refill every time it rains.

Jan 1, 2010 started off with a rainstorm which refilled every tank in this chain of indigenous islands.  Thousands of indigenous people woke up on Jan 1 to full tanks and clean, safe water.

Those who donated those tanks didn’t know it, but they gave again last night as their tanks refilled.

Glen, Robin and Claire came all the way from Iowa to install the tank they donated.

Ready to provide safe drinking water for schoolkids and the school kitchen.

New Year’s Resolution —resolve this year to bring safe drinking water to indigenous children who have none.  You gift of only $10 will help provide a tank for a school.  Your donation of $600 will install a complete rain-catchment system for an indigenous school.

Why not get a group of friends together to donate your own tank?  Even come and help install it.  Visiting donors are always welcome to help install the tank they donated.

Pic Michelle and Ken

As Michelle, a Peace Corp volunteer in a local community wrote:

“Please know that your  efforts to better the lives of others do not go unnoticed, but are appreciated daily by the community at Buena Esperanza as well as myself … I’m glad I was able to be part of it.”

Be part of it this year.

Thank you,

Donate