IMAGINE CLEAN WATER FOR AN ENTIRE FAMILY FOR LIFE FOR ABOUT $55
YOU CAN!
June 2010
Luke’s Mission was able to bring abou 30 more water filters to Haiti to the community of Belbede and Fondwa due to the generosity of our contributors to assist in earthquake relief for places where no access to clean water existed post earthquake.
Fondwa Guest House-a complete loss
January, 2010-immediately post earthquake
Luke’s Mission was able to leave three water filters in Fondwa Haiti for 14 nuns and 64 children who were living under tarps and sleeping on the ground. They lost everything in the earthquake-the orphanage and all the nuns shelters.
Fondwa, January 21, 2010
November, 2009
In November, 2009, Luke’s Mission board members, April Perry and Shelia Rittgers traveled to Haiti. Part of the reason for this trip wasto review how the first round of water filters had worked in Belbede. Pastor Jean stated that the change in the community was ”huge”. He said that the children have far less diarrhea now, in some of the families, they have had NO diarrhea since beginning to use the filters.
Luke’s Mission was the recipient of a grant from the Episcopal Diocese of NC for the express purpose of purchasing additional filters for this project. We are very grateful to the Diocese for this grant. We were able to install 31 additional filters with this money.
Additionally, a supporter of Luke’s Mission asked her friends and family to donate water filters instead of buying her presents for her 40th birthday. We received donations for 22 filters from this project.
During November we were able to teach Pastor Jean how to install the filters with the families. Because of this process, Pastor Jean has now taken over the complete on the ground operations of this project. We now only need to send the filters to him, we are so confident in his ability to instruct new filter owners in their installation and use, allowing the Haitians to take over this project in Haiti. We will continue to raise money to purchase additional filter for use in the village.
We also are planning a cistern system of collecting rain water in a central location where those who do not have access to filters can come and get filtered water.
April ,2009
In April, through the generous contributions of donors and sponsors, Luke’s Mission was able to provide household water filters for 65 families in the village of Belbede. Many families in the US sponsored a water filter for a Haitian family through our alternative Christmas Gift Program.
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On April 15, 2009, we traveled to Belbede Haiti to begin the first part of the village wide home based water filtration project for Luke’ Mission. Funded by individual donations, many of which were given as part of a Christmas alternative giving program, 60 home based water filtration systems were distributed in Belbede. Prior to our arrival, Pastor Jean Revil, of Belbede Christian Church, had selected the families who were to receive the first group of filters. Upon arriving we conducted training sessions to help over 60 women learn how to install, use and maintain the filter. Over 400 people will now have access to clean water as a result of these filters
Simple Design and Construction- Sawyers have made it as simple as it gets. No more digging wells if there is a water source, no constructing sand filters an no more purification chemicals. Families are able to construct and adapt their filter in literally minutes to locally found containers. The kit includes everything you need to attach the filter to any plastic bucket or container. (We have the village residents provide their own bucket)
Obtain a clean bucket or plastic container. Obtain a clean bucket or plastic container.
Use a hole cutter to drill a hole 1.5 inches from the bottom of the container (or you can do this by hand)
Screw the connector, hose and filter onto the bucket.
Fill the bucket with water from any source.
Click here to see just how easy it is to assemble this \life saving household water filter from Sawyers Website. We saw it really was this easy. http://www.sawyerpointonefilters.com/videos.php
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Village women prepare to get education on using the filters
Women brought their own buckets to transport unfiltered water in and received a clean bucket for the filtered water as well as the filtration system. We then worked individually with each woman to assemble the system, filter water and flush the system. To make sure that they understood exactly how to use it, we required them to demonstrate the filtration and cleaning process prior to leaving the site.
Shelia watches a village woman demonstrate the cleaning of the filter system
This household based system is as effective, simple and cost efficient as it gets. Families will be able to construct and adapt their filter in literally minutes to locally found containers. Equally important, maintenance is a very simple process. When the filter starts to slow down or clog, simply back wash it with clean water using the cleaning device provided in the kit. During our time in Haiti we used the system to filter our own drinking water from the river. Having us drink the water demonstrated in a strong way to the people how confident we were in this filtration process. We encountered no problems as a result of drinking this water after it had been filtered—something we would never have even considered prior to the trip. We will no longer have to transport our own drinking water when we visit this remote village.
VIDEO OF THIS PROJECT:
Click on the link below to see a video of Pastor Jean’s response to the water filters for his community of Belbede. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQiJhNqPKlk Below are some pictures of our installation of the fir 
Extremely Cost Efficient- One system could provide clean water for a small village for pennies a day. These systems are expected to last a lifetime or filter up to 1 million gallons of water. Luke’s Mission provides this household water filter to families for the very low cost of $55 to sponsors.
Fast Flow- This is a POINT OF USE SYSTEM. Since there is such a high flow rate, this eliminates the need to store water which reduces the chances of water being contaminated after it is filtered. The only external force required for the system to function is GRAVITY. The 0.1 micron filter has a flow rate of about 1 liter per minute and therefore is capable of filtering over 1400 liters per day. (From Sawyerspointonefilters.com)
Long Lasting- Maintenance of this filter is very simple. When the filter starts to slow down or clog, simply back wash it with clean water using the syringe provided in the kit. No more replacing filters annually which is costly for them and for Luke’s Mission. Sustainability- Since the filters can continuously be backwashed and re-used, this makes this system self-sustainable and dependable
Multiple Applications- These filters and purifiers make water so clean and accessible that people will not only use the filtered/purified water for drinking, but also for cleaning, bathing, cooking, watering plants and more.
Natural Disasters- The bucket system is essential for aid in natural disasters. This system would eliminate the need to ship bottled water. As you it is very common for Haiti to received hurricanes and flooding during the rainy season. These filters can be used in those situations to maintain a supply of clean water without purchasing bottled water.
