Haiti is rated as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and most of the residents there have to get by on less than two dollars a day. It is repeatedly plagued by natural disasters – as in 2010, when a powerful earthquake devastated vast swathes of it. Years later, the majority of the population still suffers from the consequences. Many people are homeless and non-contaminated drinking water cannot always be taken for granted, which is why Greenfinity funded 50 bio-sand filters. These provide a simple and inexpensive way to clean water. Supplying a family of eight to ten people with drinking water, one filter delivers about five gallons of purified water per hour and can be obtained against a contribution of five dollars.
A bio-sand filter is a box filled with various layers of sand. When water enters the filter, a biological layer is created on top of the sand-bed’s top layer. “Good” microbes feed on “bad” microbes and organisms, such as worms and protozoa, are not able to get through the sand-bed. This way, 99 per cent of all microbes (bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and worms) are filtered out of the water.
The filters can be made in Haiti using locally sourced materials, which in turn leads to the creation of jobs and strengthens the economy – an important step in a country where unemployment currently stands at 40 per cent.
The families receiving a water filter will be supported for one year so that correct handling of the filter is guaranteed. This way the living situation in Haiti can be improved long-term.
Water
January 2015
Haiti, Pierre Payen