HAITI January 2015
On-Site
Elena partnered with a local ecumenical group to provide filters and on-site training to the community in Thomassin, Haiti, near Port-au-Prince. Water=Life provided 150 Sawyer SP180 Water Filter System kits and 300 5-gallon buckets (one for contaminated water, one for filtered water) to 150 family representatives. Elena also trained three Haitian advisors to distribute the filter system kits and provide training to recipients.
HAITI January 2016
On-Site
Over the course of five days, Water=Life distributed 120 Sawyer SP180 filter kits to family and church representatives in three communities in Petionville Province: Kenscoff, Ft. Jacques and Boutillier. These representatives were trained in the use and maintenance of the filter system. Now, more than 1,350 children, women and men have access to clean water. They also received two 5-gallon buckets (one for contaminated water, one for filtered water) with lids and a spigot for dispensing clean water.
HAITI June 2016
On-Site
The goals of this visit were established to build on the success of our January 2016 work. This included distributing the Sawyer SP 180 filter systems to 140 family representatives.
During this trip, Water=Life:
• Introduced a simple health assessment form to measure the impact of clean water in family life.
• Refined the follow-up visit process by our Haitian advisors to ensure long-term health benefits to children and their families.
Recipients received training that included:
• Discussing health issues related to contaminated water.
• Explaining how a filter system works and its benefits while assembling a system.
• Demonstrating the filter system’s effectiveness by drinking filtered water.
• Identifying the health and financial benefits of filter ownership and maintenance protocol.
• Re-emphasizing the importance of filter maintenance with advisors through follow-up home visits.
HAITI December 2016
On-Site
Water=Life received an urgent request from our Haiti advisors to bring a community water project to the destroyed communities of the southern peninsula following Hurricane Matthew. The Water=Life board approved a site visit with the advisors to assess the situation. Elena and the advisors met numerous community leaders, including medical staff, school principals, religious leaders, and local orphanage directors.
The destruction was overwhelming. After lengthy discussion and review of Elena’s on-site report, the Executive Board determined that establishing a community water project was beyond our financial and administrative ability. The Water=Life board felt and continues to feel that the current political climate and global pandemic makes it unsafe to return at this time.