By Jennifer Jones | Director of Donor Relations & Communications
Diarrhea is directly linked to contaminated water. Simple water filtration systems reduce the risk of preventable waterborne illness like cholera, typhoid, and chronic diarrhea. HRI and our teams are saving lives by distributing water filters to ensure clean water is available daily for cooking, drinking, dish/hand washing, bathing, etc. in both Haiti and Guatemala.
The past few months, beneficiaries have mostly been children in multiple orphanages due to a massive cholera outbreak in Haiti. Thanks to our quick action providing water filters, hand washing stations, training and educational posters, we were able to prevent the spread of cholera after a few children fell ill in one orphanage. Once we saw our approach was working, we began implementing the same approach in other orphanages as funding was secured.
In Guatemala, we also provided water filters to a few more families in dire need. Aracely's family was suffering greatly from illness caused by contaminated water.
Aracely is 25 years old and one of the youngest entrepreneurs of our micro-enterprise training program in Valparaiso village, in Santa Cruz Verapaz, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. She lives with her parents. A total of 14 people share the home. Her father and her brother work as farmers and she and her mother are just starting their small weaving businesses, so they currently have no resources or access to buy purified water. But now, thanks to partners like you, they have clean water every day and no longer fall ill from simply drinking water. When the men come off the field, they have safe, clean water to bring them refreshment without risk of getting a stomach ache.
I have included a link to a video of Aracely sharing her gratitude at the bottom of this report.
We still have many orphanages and families who do not have full coverage for water filters nor hand-washing stations. Your continued support is greatly appreciated so we can ensure lives are spared from preventable illness by simply providing clean water filters!
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