North central region of Sri Lanka is ravaged by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Over 100,000 people are currently affected (up to 10 to 15% of people in certain villages) with approximately 5% deaths among the affected population per year. The cause of the disease is polluted drinking water. This project aims to prevent the disease by providing easy access to safe and clean drinking water to the school children.
The cause of this deadly disease is the consumption of polluted water containing harmful substances such as cadmium and arsenic.The ground water in these areas are heavily polluted and majority of the population consume this ground water from wells. There is little or no access to centrally pumped and purified pipe borne water. Also purchasing clean safe drinking water is not an economically viable option for majority of these people.
Reverse osmosis is most cost effective and sustainable way to clean the contaminated ground water.This project will install reverse osmosis water filters in schools and provide safe clean drinking water to the school children. The cost of a single filter serving a school of five hundred children is Rs. 144,000 (USD 1,100). The school staff will be educated to guide the children to drink the clean filtered water during the school hours and also take home water bottles for consumption at home.
The main objective of the project is to protect the younger generation from the Chronic Kidney Disease. This is achieved by giving the children easy and ready access to safe clean drinking water. Also educating the children about the cause of CKD with the collaboration of local officials and school staff will go a long way to ensure good health for these children.
