This project is made possible through the partnership of Water Charity and the Sol Adventurers Foundation. 
Location
Rio Bueno, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, West Indies
Community Description
Rio Bueno, a small seaside village located 32 miles (51.5 kilometers) east of Montego Bay on the island of Jamaica on the border between the parishes of St. Ann and Trelawny, owes its importance, history, and livelihood to the magnificent Rio Bueno Harbour. The Rio Bueno Harbour is the deepest in Jamaica, perhaps one of the reasons why Columbus dropped anchor there on his first visit to Jamaica. Trelawny is best known for its sugar estates and sugar cane mills. It had more sugar estates than any other parish, so there was a need for a sea coast town to export it. Trelawny was also home to the largest group of Maroons in the island.
Trelawny’s sources of employment are based on agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. Rum and sugar are Trelawny’s principal products. Other crops include bananas, yams, strawberries, vegetables, pimento, coffee, ginger, and coconut. Though the fishing industry is declining, Trelawny still produces a large amount of fish. Most families in the community do not have running water or electricity.
This project is being implemented at a children’s home for children who have lost their parents, or their parents are not able to care for them. The youth range in age from 2 years to 21 years of age. The youth have disorders ranging from spina bifida and cerebral palsy to learning disorders and HIV. There are also two teenage moms with their babies, and several elders living on the property. Sister Jackie and Brother Delroy own the property and have been living on the land with the youth for 1 and a half years. Some of the children go to public schools, as long as there is funding available and their behavior is appropriate for school; the rest are schooled on the property.
Problem Addressed
House of Love Children’s Home in Rio Bueno, Trelawny often runs out of the water, making it a challenge to bathe the youth, cook, clean their clothes and stay hydrated. The water truck comes to fill the tanks with water when they have funds to do so, but the water is very heavily chlorinated often causing diarrhea. The water they get is not potable.
There is a great deal of rain in the area. The home and the youth would benefit greatly from a rainwater catchment and filters. This project would ensure a clean, potable source of water and would allow them to bathe, cook, clean clothes and grow more healthy foods, cutting down on the cost of buying food. This would also help ensure the youth are eating organic, non-GMO produce.
52 youth, elders and staff live at the home on a daily basis. Added to this, there are also approximately 40 additional children that drop in regularly, and an additional 80 that come for summer camp. There is also an Ethiopian Orthodox Church on the property and a Nyabinghi Tabernacle. About 50 people attend several spiritual events on the property.
Project Description
This project is to build a rainwater catchment and storage system.
Gutters made of 4-inch PVC pipe will be cut in half and attached along with the main building. The rainwater will run through the pipe, covered in netting to filter out debris, and pass through a micron filter into a 1,000-gallon tank, which will be purchased and installed on a base.
A contractor in the community will donate the labor. Transport of the supplies will be donated as well.
The plans were developed with a local contractor, in consultation with Mr. Gayle, a water specialist at the Marine Lab. Mr. Gayle confirmed there were no heavy metals or major contaminants in the local area. He recommended micron filters at the output.
Project Impact
This project will impact 222 people, plus visitors, and the number will grow over time.
Volunteer Directing Project
Roseanne Ware
Monitoring and Maintenance
The staff at the House of Love will monitor and maintain the rain catchment pipes, filter, and tank. Sol Adventurers will provide training on maintenance of the rainwater system.
Comments
This project is being completed in cooperation with Sol Adventurers Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers orphans and at-risk youth globally to discover their gifts, share them with the world and gain strength through reconnecting with their community. Experiencing music, art, permaculture, and exploration of cultural roots all combine to help them unearth their gifts and become sustainable. Sol Adventurers honors their elders by giving them the opportunity to pass their wisdom, cultural traditions, and arts to the youth. Sol Adventurers Foundation has been offering mentoring and enrichment programs in Jamaica and California for the past 9 years.
Our own Roseanne, aka “Rosey,” is Executive Director of Sol Adventurers Foundation, and has also been doing good works and working directly with Water Charity since the summer of 2015 as an assistant to our CEO JahSun.
This project has been completed. To see the results, CLICK HERE.
Dollar Amount of Project
$700
Donations Collected to Date
$700
Dollar Amount Needed
$0 – This project has been funded through the generosity of the Paul Bechtner Foundation, with help from friends of Roseanne Ware.
Additional donations will go toward funding other projects in Jamaica.
