This is a follow-up to two great projects completed in recent years in partnership with Safe Passage, a nonprofit operating in Guatemala City, to provide for the clean water needs of those living and working in Central America’s largest landfill, the Guatemala City Garbage Dump.
These garbage dump workers spend long days sorting through trash to find and sell recyclable items. They live in homes without running water and experience frequent health problems including gastrointestinal infections, parasites, and amoebas.
Safe Passage is a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit with operations in Guatemala City. The organization provides approximately 550 children with education, social services, and the chance to move beyond the poverty their families have faced for generations.
Water Charity partnered with Safe Passage in 2009 in the Project for Garbage Dump Workers of Guatemala. The goal was to improve the health of families participating in Safe Passage’s programs. 46 ceramic water filters from were provided to 42 women enrolled in the Adult Literacy program, as well as one small filter for the Literacy classroom and three large filters, one for the Early Education Center and two for the main Reinforcement Building.
In 2010, under the Guatemala City Garbage Dump Water Filters Project – Part 2, 35 ceramic filters were provided to new families. Safe Passage continued to work with the beneficiaries and provide education and training and to document the health benefits that have accrued from the consistent use of the filters.
In 2012, Water Charity recognized the evolving technology becoming available to purify contaminated water, and started the Filters for Life Program – Worldwide. The program uses the Sawyer filter technology, involving carbon nanotubes to remove all known pathogens, bacteria, cysts, protozoa, and even the smallest viruses. The filters have been proven to last for 10 years with minimal maintenance.
The efficacy of the technology has been shown in various locations, including in the recently completed Water Charity Typhoon Haiyan Relief – Philippines.
With a continually changing population in need of clean water, and in consideration of the success of the first two projects, it was recognized that it was time for another filter project it partnership with Safe Passage.
This new program is to assemble and deliver 50 Sawyer PointONE filters to families of children enrolled in the Safe Passage program.
The filters can be set up in a matter of seconds. They have a high flow rate, eliminating the need to store water, and reducing the chances of water being contaminated after it is filtered.
The program will provide safe water to over 300 people.
Recipient families will be trained in the use and maintenance of the filters as well as other aspects of hygiene and sanitation. Safe Passage will ensure that the filters are being used and maintained properly and will evaluate the health benefits that have been achieved.
This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Michael and Carla Boyle, of Nelsonville, OH, USA.
Additional donations for this effective and worthy project will go to other projects in Guatemala.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.