The project was initiated to provide aid to stricken areas within days after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines. Super Typhoon Haiayn, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, was a true calamity for those who had to endure its awesome storm surge and 195mph winds.
As most of you know, Tacloban city bore the brunt of what looks to be the strongest storm on record to ever make landfall. Lt. Col. Marciano Jesus Guevara of the Filipino military aid said that the biggest problem in Tacloban is a lack of clean drinking water. “Water is life,” he said. “If you have water with no food, you’ll survive.”
Within days after the devastating typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, and while it was still ravaging Vietnam, Water Charity began this effort to get water filters to the victims. With over 800,000 evacuees still housed in makeshift housing, churches and community centers, and well before any refugee camps had been constructed, Water Charity was already organizing the delivery of life-saving carbon nanotube filters.
Our first shipment of filters was paid for out of our own pockets and was flown to the Philippines personally by one of our colleagues to expedite distribution.
Far and away the best and most cost-efficient filter technology, these lightweight, durable and highly effective filters are engineered to less than a micron and thus prevent all known pathogens, bacteria, cysts, protozoa, and even the smallest virus from passing through.
We started using this technology under our Filters for Life Program, so when the extent of the devastation became apparent, we were ready to step up and help with the relief effort.
Looking back, the impact on that country, with 99 million people, is hard to comprehend:
• 14.9 million people affected
• 4.13 million people displaced
• 6,100+ reported dead
• 26,233 reported injured
• 1.2 million damaged houses
Now, long after the world has forgotten about Haiyan and it’s victims, we are still interested in helping out. If we can raise the funds, we will be happy to expand our filter distribution in the Philippines… afterall, lack of clean drinking water kills more people than all of the typhoons and storms they get combined.
