By Albert Santoli | Project Leader
Global Giving donors have done it again!! A new 300 gallon water tank for the 175 students at the mountain top Catig-Lacadon ElmentarySchool has brought new health and life to the rural community. The rural public school is located in the remote farming area in Duenas District in the Visayas region of the Philippines. This area, with strong community spirit and a willingness to roll up their sleeves and rebuild, has become a core program for Asia America Initiative to integrate health, hygiene and nutrition in schools.
The Duenas area was heavily damaged by Typhoon Haiyan. Especially serious was the destruction of clean water systems. With malnutrition rampant and tropical diseases everywhere, In many communities children miss school or perform poorly because of illness from unclean water or no water for hygiene. Catig-Lacadon Elementary has 175 pupils and when AAI arrived, the school had no wells or water tanks on the hilltop campus. Children had to walk down the steep hill to a forest and fill pails or large soda bottles with water and then walk uphill 100 meters carrying the heavy loads in each hand. With funds from Global Giving donors, we were able to puirtchase a 300 gallon water tank attached to the school's rooftop gutter system to catch rainwater. We also purchased rubber hoses and plastic pails and basins for hygiene. Community volunteers, especially parents, did the construction of the water system at the school.
"Catching rain water with the use of extended gutters around our school roof and the spout into the water tank certainly ease the pain of our little pupils fetching water from the bottom of the steep hill to use a fresh water source," says Catig-Lacadon Elementary principal Rowena Silvestre Ortizo says:
"On behalf of Catig-Lacadon elementary school, our teaching staff, parents and 175 pupils, I would like to thank Asia America Initiative through Prof.Albert Santoli and his helpful students for their untiring fund raising campaigns with support from friends like Global Giving to show their concern about our school."
"In addion,medicines and first aid materials are important during emergencies and for every day health of the children. Purchasing these is hard for us because clinic maintenance and other operating expenses allocated in our school are limited. During an emergency we cannot easily go to town and buy medicines because our school is the farthest school within the district and with no public transportation." Principal Roqwena adds. " I would like donors of AAI to know how blessed, happy and overwhelmed Catig-Lacadon is. There are no such words that can express how thankful we are. God Bless"
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