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Our Current Cause: From January through March, 2007, we will be supporting Clean Water for Haiti, a volunteer-run non-profit that provides simple, effective and affordable water filters for Haitian families. Costing only $30 to build, deliver and install each filter, this group has installed over 5000 filters and has been able to reach countless people effectively and affordably. Their programs also include training, support and well-drilling. Please use WNF for searching and shopping, and spread the word so we can help Clean Water for Haiti's vital programs. | ||||||
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Orange hair isn't a fashion statement in Haiti, but rather a sign of malnutrition. Bloated bellies are not from an abundance of food, they are a clear indication of worms. Skin rashes don't come from heat; they come from bacteria. Water is making people sick and they are dying. This is their reality. Another reality? Giving people clean water saves lives... 
The Biosand filter gained recognition for its simple design that uses basic materials that are readily available and inexpensive. The simplicity of design allows for easy production and ease of transport. There are no moving parts, it requires no electricity and takes up only one square foot of space. With proper usage education and regular maintenance, a filter will last for an indefinite period of time. The filter is able to solve the problem of treating multiple water sources and because it removes all four types of pathogens - bacteria, protozoa, viruses and worms - the water can be used for drinking, bathing, cooking and other general household uses. Two weeks after installation a Biosand filter will remove 98.9 percent of all bacteria present in the water, but upon installation testing has shown that the filter will remove all worms and protozoa, most viruses and a high percentage of bacteria which leads to an immediate improvement in water quality. With minimal maintenance a Biosand filter can be manufactured, delivered and installed for about $30 US.
by Leslie Lockhart of Clean Water for Haiti 
Recently I had an opportunity to visit a part of Haiti that I had only seen in pictures. In Port de St. Marc squatters have built homes all tightly packed between the road and the beach. My friend and I had to weave in amongst them to get to the beach so she could show me where she was hoping to expand her work to. When we got there I realized I was standing in the middle of some of the worst poverty I had ever seen.
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