Iowa College Girls Make Big Impact in Panama

By operat11 on March 26, 2011 in Clean Water, Donations, Indigenous people, Medical Care, Messages, Safe Water Installations, Volunteers

by our OSDW reporter

Team of 8 girls and one guy from Luther College impact
indigenous peoples of Panama.

WHERE — LA GLORIA SCHOOL

The rain catchment tanks they donated are moved into place by the school fathers.

The long 100 – foot roof line will refill two 600 gallon tanks with disease-free water
in just a few hours of rainfall. That means safe water for the 375 students and the
local village for years to come.

College students, with Maribel Bass, celebrate the final hook-up of the
rain catchment tanks. Let’er rain!

POPA ISLAND

The school fathers were off working, so the girls did the heavy lifting.

A big reason to smile — their day’s work means the students and villagers will
have safe drinking water for the seven year life of the rain catchment system.

We pipe safe, clean water from the tanks into the school kitchens for drinking
– and for cooking lunch for the students. Lunch has to be cancelled if there is
any doubt about the water quality. The risk is too high. Bad water in the kitchen
can quickly spread sicknesses to the entire school. One principal said having to
choose between feeding the kids, or taking a chance of making them sick was the
hardest part of her job.

Safe water from our rain catchment tanks piped into the school kitchens
ensures the kids get their lunches — and don’t get sick. see below

And not just safe water — first aid, too.

We provide first aid only. Any person needing more is sent — or taken – to a hospital
on the mainland for professional medical care.

A skin infection around her ear needed attention.

” I hurt my leg,” she told the college student helping her.

Maribel Bass makes a new friend

Sometimes, friends just need to talk

Playtime — too

This’s fun!

One-on- one friendships rapidly formed

Both sides discovered the universal language of love.

“This has been a life-changing experience for me.
How could I ever be the same?” – college student

They came for a week.
They changed lives for a lifetime.

“THE ONLY WAY THIS WEEK COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
IS IF IT HAD MORE DAYS.” — college student.

Thank you Samantha, Alexis, Lauren, Jenny, Nara, Elizabeth, Lindsey,
Maria, Rita and Vaughn — for your love, your work, your donations
and your example to us all.

————————–

Click here to see where our 67 rain catchment systems provide safe water
to 15,000 indigenous people.

You can change lives, too.

80% of indigenous children have worms.
Half have skin infections.

Safe water can prevent both

$20 will supply safe drinking water for 20 people.
$100 will supply safe water for 200 people.
$900 will provide your own tank for 80 students and 250 villagers — for years to come.

Please help out today.