By Joe Bass,
Founder, Operation Safe Drinking Water
Are we getting safe drinking water to indigenous
schools and communities?
Yes, each of the SIXTY THREE rain catchment tanks
we’ve installed as of Feb 25 provides safe water to an average
of 80 students and 250 villagers
– more than 15,000 indigenous people.
Are we doing enough?
No, the need is far greater than our means to reach.
Operation Safe Drinking Water was started by just two people with a vision
and few resources. Maribel, my wife and co-founder, and I put in endless hours
and dug deep into our own pockets to keep the rain catchment tanks going out
to schools and villages. We’ve never taken a dollar in compensation.
Did we miss some needy schools?
Yes, but we’re only two people working full time as unpaid
volunteers — and two people can only do so much.
Do all the people who come to volunteer leave happy?
We’ve had 72 volunteers come to help in the last two years.
Only one had to be asked to leave.
One group has been back eleven times, and is coming back in June.
Others are frequent repeat volunteers.
That speaks for itself.
Do you meet all the needs of the people — like latrines and health education?
No, our priority is safe drinking water.
We hope others will do their share and deal with those important needs.
Do you help the people with first-aid clinics?
Yes, we do emergency first-aid work among our indigenous neighbors.
When a child is accidentally cut with a machete, Maribel cleans the wound
and bandages it to avoid infection. School principals call us for help when a child
has an accident. If it’s simple, we take care of it. If it’s serious we rush the child
and a parent to the hospital by boat.
We offer emergency first-aid,which any caring human
would offer to another in need.
Is your wife a registered nurse?
No, and she has never claimed to be. However, she has 6 months’ training
in emergency first-aid given by a resident Panamanian nurse.
As part of her training she worked side-by-side with the nurse
for 6 months.
We provide only basic, emergency first-aid. Anything beyond that
is referred to medical professionals
Most of the first aid is dealing with cuts from machetes, or accidents.
Victims of snake bites, which happen mostly at night, are rushed straight
to the hospital even though night-time boat operation is hazardous.
Do we force those needing medical help to attend a Christian lecture
before giving help?
No. On Sundays we offer a Bible study class to those who wish to attend.
They do not have to attend in order to receive first aid help or food.. After the class,
we show a movie on a DVD player (mainstream movies — not ones with any religious message)
and serve everyone a hot meal (at no charge). After late arrivals come in by canoe
and everyone is present, anyone needing first aid help receives it.
People show up at Maribel’s door 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with
cuts and injuries in need of first-aid care.
She does what any caring person does – she gives first-aid help.
In case of a medical emergency, they’re rushed to the hospital, day or night,
in good weather or bad.
There’s no charge, and we pay their urgent-care fees.
Do we only provide safe drinking water?
We also assist with dental clinics by visiting dentists and provide
non-prescription reading glasses for those with sight problems.
Safe water is the most urgent need, with first-aid a close second.
Certainly, latrines and public health education are important, as well.
But we can’t do everything.
Do we talk a lot about the good work we’re doing?
Only enough to be accountable to our donors and show them what we’re doing
with their gifts. We also have to enlist new donors to be able to help
the schools and villages waiting for a rain catchment tank.
Are your finances open and available to the public?
Yes, they are. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit charity, our finances are audited
by a Certified Public Accountant. He prepares the annual IRS form 990,
which is published and made available.
Is your work transparent?
Our work speaks for itself. Here is a link to a map showing every water tank
we’ve installed.
Click here for map of tanks we’ve installed
Anyone can go see for themselves.
Are there many other schools and villages in need of safe water?
Just this past week, we made an all-day survey of five major population centers.
Each one is in critical need of safe water for their school.
On Feb 22, the principal of one school told us,
“Almost all our 144 students have stomach troubles, fevers
and diarrhea from the water. Maybe only 10% of the enrolled children
will be able to show up for class when school opens next week.”
My mother once told me,
“The only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing.”
We are only human and not perfect.
No one is.
But we will never “do nothing” – not when we see so many children
suffering from bad water.
- Joe Bass
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