Physical Health Panama Project #8760

Safe Water for Indigenous Schools & Villages

by Operation Safe Drinking Water

Safe Water for Indigenous Schools & Villages

Project Report | Jan 7, 2012
Safe disease-free water for indigenous schools

By Joe Bass | President , Operation Safe Drinking Water

The problem - and solution for 1 indigenous school

Iindigenous school principals report back:

"Our absentee rate due to sickness fell from 70% to 15% after
you installed the rain catchment tank. Thank you. "
Velkis Quiroz - principal, Bahia Grande, Cristobal island.

"Half our students were out sick at any one time.
Our absenteeism rate is now down
to less than 10%."

-- Delia Vergora - Pfrincipal Nance Risco school

92 rain catchment tanks are now producing safe, disease-free
water for indigenous schools and villages. The tanks also provide
safe water for school lunches.

The school kitcneh at Nance Risco was closed for four
months due to lack of clean water. Packages of rice and lentils were
stocked high but were unused --and unusable -- without safe water.

Principal Delia says, " the kids get nourishing food every day now,
thanks to the two rain catchment tanks you installed for us."

35,000 indigenous villagers and children now get safe, dissease-free
water from our 92 rain catchment tanks. The tanks refill in the regular
tropical rainstorms common to the indigenous communities.

The rain catchment systems are simple, with only one moving part - the faucet.
Surrounding villages use the safe water when school is not in session.

3 things you should know about us

1 ) We're a 501 c 3 charity.

2 ) No one receives a salary or compensation

2 ) We live among the people we serve.

Joe Bass,

School fathers help install rain catchment tanks

Rainwater - it can kill - or it can save lives

Mega system for 500 plus indigenous students

Bottom line -- safe water for indigenous students

Permalink

Dec 5, 2011
A Matter of Life and Death

By Joe Bass | Founder, President

Peace Corps Volunteer leaving after two years of living among indigenous people says…

“CHILDREN REALLY ARE DYING FOR LACK OF SAFE DRINKING WATER.”

Michelle Aguilar (below ) departing Peace Corps Volunteer

“I’VE BEEN TO TOO MANY INFANT FUNERALS”

Below– A RACE AGAINST TIME

We rush a mother and her critically sick infant to
the nearest hospital in our boat. 80% of all
child sicknesses are due to bad water.

Infants are always the most vulnerable.
Life for indigenous infants, especially, is often very short.

A worried mother’s concern needs no translation.
Mothers everywhere understand.

(Below) Washed with polluted water, a baby’s mosquito bites
quickly become infected. Polluted water kills.
Indigenous infants are often the victims.

Health — and survival for those most vulnerable — depends
on having clean, safe water.

SEE WHAT ONE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL DID TO SAVE LIVES

Maribel Dominguez, principal of the school at Cauchero, met us on arrival with
two bowls. “Give me your bottle of water,” she asked, and poured the clean water into one bowl.
She then showed us the bowl of water from her school. “I got this five minutes ago,” she said.

“Look at the difference.This is why half my students are always absent from sickness.
Chronic diarrhea and stomach disorders keep our kids from getting an education.”

(Above) Contaminated water contrasts
with the bottled water we brought along

That’s why we had come all the way to Cauchero.
Our OSDW team quickly went to work.

“How often does it rain?” we asked
“Every two or three days” she said.

Within 3 hours Maribel had a new 600-gallon rain catchment system.

Ken Eide of OSDW led the ground team.
The volunteers who donated the tank
climbed up on the roof to do their part.

ar.

At the end of the day, a smiling principal and happy joy among her students
– and the volunteers who donated the tank.

Maribel’s water tank holds 600 gallons of safe, disease-free water.
It refills in 4-5 hours in a tropical downpour.
It’s simple and easy to maintain, with only one moving part — the faucet.
It’ll provide safe, disease-free water for years to come.
It cost only $975.
it was installed by the volunteers who
donated it.

Permalink

Sep 18, 2011
Mega System of 4 rain catchment tanks installed

By Joe Bass | Founder - President

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