Greenvoice

I’m on my flight home and my mind is racing with all that I have experienced over the past two weeks.

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p>First stop: <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place><st1:country-region>Rwanda</st1:country-region></st1:place> <o:p></o:p>

My journey started in <st1:place><st1:country-region>Rwanda</st1:country-region></st1:place> where I met Ben Affleck for the first time. I was there because of new partnership WaterPartners has with the OnexOne Foundation. We’re hosting an event together in <st1:city>San Francisco</st1:city> this fall, which is modeled on an event they’ve held the past two years in <st1:place><st1:city>Toronto</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place>, with Matt Damon and Matt Affleck.

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While WaterPartners’ doesn’t currently work in <st1:country-region>Rwanda</st1:country-region>, OnexOne is supporting work in <st1:place><st1:country-region>Rwanda</st1:country-region></st1:place> that benefits children’s hospitals. OnexOne’s deep commitment to improving the life of children led it to partner with WaterPartners. Amazingly, even in the 21^st century, unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of child mortality, and is the top killer of children under age five in the developing world. 

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In <st1:place><st1:country-region>Rwanda</st1:country-region></st1:place>, I saw how an incredible country with a very depressing story of genocide is confronting its history heads-on. Memorials around the country and central memorial in <st1:place><st1:city>Kigali</st1:city></st1:place> incorporate powerful exhibits chronicling the country’s human tragedy.

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Before our plane dropped him in <st1:place><st1:city>Juba</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>Sudan</st1:country-region></st1:place>, I had the chance to have a comprehensive discussion with Ben about water issues, the work of WaterPartners, and the potential that our WaterCredit program holds to reach exponentially more people with safe water.

<o:p> </o:p>Second stop: <st1:place><st1:country-region>Ethiopia</st1:country-region></st1:place> <o:p></o:p>

After the stop in <st1:country-region>Sudan</st1:country-region>, our plane landed in <st1:place><st1:country-region>Ethiopia</st1:country-region></st1:place>. For the next two days, I showed the OneXOne team the impact of WaterPartners’ projects on the ground. We visited three sites where projects are being implemented by our local partner organization, the Relief Society of Tigray (REST): one project was complete, one was under construction, and the third was a traditional water source that will be replaced.

<o:p> </o:p>As always, REST did an incredible job on the site visit, gathering the communities together to talk with us and explain how the programs work. The OxO staff was very impressed with the impact a well could have on the quality of life for so many people for such a modest investment.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Our first visit was the <st1:place><st1:placetype>village</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Mezabr</st1:placename></st1:place>, where we saw the drilling rig in operation and water come gushing forth. Their well will be complete soon.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>The next stop was Dibla—a village that turned out more than 100 people for our visit and to celebrate the recently completed hand pump. There was a lot of singing and the traditional showering of us with white fluffy popcorn as we entered the village.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>The euphoria of Dibla quickly melted into the tragedy as we moved to the next <st1:place><st1:placetype>village</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Bukot</st1:placename></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>In Bukot, yet another dimension of the water crisis came into focus. We visited a deep open well that was right on the edge of a cliff. While the climb to get to the well is precarious, the real danger was the well itself. The village leader told us that animals regularly fall into the well at night and drown, causing serious contamination.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>And that was only the beginning. Three children have fallen into the well and drown. The global water supply crisis thus has yet another way of claiming the lives of children. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>However, thanks to the funding we are providing, in a few months the spring will be capped and the water piped to a safe access area where people can fill their jerry cans. Amazingly enough, this transformation will only cost $4,000! <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>The enormous impact of safe water, and the comparatively small cost of the solution, continues to amaze and motive me. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Gary White<o:p></o:p>Executive Director <o:p></o:p>

WaterPartners International

 

 This photo is of boys in Kigali swimming in a sewage ditch.