With the first official day
of summer just around the corner (for those of us in the northern hemisphere), it’s a great time to take stock of how
dependent we are on clean drinking water - especially during the hot months.
In Cambodia, the months are always hot! Cambodia's average annual temperature is 82F. Add an average humidity of 78%, and you have an average annual heat index of 90F!
In Cambodia, the months are always hot! Cambodia's average annual temperature is 82F. Add an average humidity of 78%, and you have an average annual heat index of 90F!
In cities, air conditioners are rare; fans - that merely circulate the thick heat - are the norm. In villages, however, even a fan is rare since most villages have no electricity. With this in mind, you can imagine how hot and thirsty people are each day. Sadly, most people do not have access to clean drinking water.
People are faced with a tough decision: drink contaminated water or risk death from dehydration. Unfortunately, drinking contaminated water causes waterborne illnesses and sometimes death as well. 1 in 7 children dies before the age of 5, often because of bad water. Every year there are over 9 million cases of diarrheal diseases reported (9 million cases in a country of 14.8 million people). It's estimated to cost the nation $448 million a year.
This is where the
Trailblazer Foundation steps in; we provide access to clean drinking water to
eliminate illness and death caused by contaminated water.
The Trailblazer
Foundation is a non-profit organization that strives to make a difference in
local communities by implementing sustainable, community-focused development
projects that help empower the people within the local community. The
Foundation's main focus is providing clean drinking water to impoverished areas
by building and distributing bio-sand water filters. So far, Trailblazer has
provided access to clean water for over 70,000 people!
The bio-sand water filters that the Trailblazer Foundation makes are easy to operate and maintain (the villagers are taught how to do it). The filters trap and degrade sediment, parasites, and 98% of bacteria. All of this is done through simple, chemical-free technology that lasts for years!
It only costs $60 to
sponsor a water filter. For $60 - the same price as going to a nice dinner
& the movies - you could provide one bio-sand water filter and give the
gift of clean water to families in need! If you're thinking to yourself:
"$60! That's a lot! I've only got about $6 to spare!" Then
why not find 10 friends that also have $6 and donate together? We’ll even put your
name or the name of your group (business, school, organization) on the front of
the water filter.
Aside from the water
filters that are $60, other donations go to: $1 - flip flops (to protect
against hookworms), $5 -mosquito nets (to prevent malaria), $170 - pull pump wells, etc. If you donate money, you can
specify how it is spent or Trailblazer will put your donation toward what's
needed most at the time. All of the donations go directly to projects for the
villages & all donations are tax deductible (USA only) as Trailblazer is a
non-profit 501(c)(3).
And, because I would
never ask anyone to do something that I wouldn't do myself, I’m including a
picture of one of the water filters I donated. Your name could be there! If you
donate now, it's quite possible that I will still be here when your water
filter is ready to be built. So, for those of you able to donate: don't delay,
donate today :) Visit: http://thetrailblazerfoundation.org/donate.html.
- http://thetrailblazerfoundation.org/our_programs.html
- http://thetrailblazerfoundation.org/getinvolved.html
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Trailblazer-Foundation/72714579111
Thanks to everyone that reads this! Hope you are all doing well! Have a great summer (or winter, if you’re down under)!
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| One of the water filters I donated being assembled at a home in Tbang village. |
