Guatemala Water Project

Thank you from Jared

jasondolle — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:45:32 +0000

Dear George,

Working with the community of Panabaj on the outskirts of Santiago, Atitlan has been an incredible blessing. I continue to be amazed at how a simple thing like a water filter can drastically improve living conditions here. This community was the hardest hit by the 2005 mudslides caused by Hurricane Stan, and has yet to recover. Drinking water is either boiled, costing money for wood, and contributing to poor air quality, or bought at great expense. Working with ANADESA (Association Nuevo Amanacer de Santiago Atitlan- Association for the New Dawn of Santiago Atitlan) has been especially meaningful for me. Formed after the mudslides by a group of local men and women from Panabaj, they have been promoting the QBeta water filters, educating on their use and care, and providing follow up to make sure they are used properly. I went along to visit a number of the families and was thrilled to see 100% of the filters in great working condition, recently cleaned and receiving rave reviews from the families, even after several months. During the visits many neighbors came out to ask how they too could get a filter, and it’s obvious that the momentum is building. While ANADESA to me seemed slow at first to get the filters distributed, it’s obvious that their approach has been highly successful, and that the QBeta filter is meeting the needs of the community, and exceeding expectations along the way.

Jared Stoltzfus
TranSend volunteer with Virginia Mennonite Missions, Santiago Atitlan

22 Rotary Clubs Partner to help others obtain clean drinking water!

sunsandy — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:05:26 +0000

There are 13 International and 9 Host Rotary Clubs that have joined forces to conduct Q Beta Water Filter Projects totalling $807,000 to serve 129,120 people! The impact is huge when we work together in service to others!

Host Rotary Clubs:

Guatemala Sur

Guatemala del Este

Antigua

Coban

Metropoli

Guatemala del Valle

Huehuetenango

Retalhuleu

Rotary Club of Belize

International Rotary Clubs:

Florence, OR

Schaumberg- Hoffman Estates, IL

Bonita Springs, FL

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Jacksonville-Applegate, FL

Downtown Macon, GA

Medham, NJ

Central Point, OR

Kamlppos North, BC Canada

Shasta Valley, OR

Kamloops, BC Canada

Walcheren, Netherlands

Toledo, OH

Q Beta Water Filter Distribution in Guatemala

sunsandy — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:29:04 +0000

Supported with grants from Rotary International, The Mayan Families Charity distributed approximately 50 Q Beta water filters on Monday January 26, 2009 in the village of Tierra Linda.

The women were provided with instruction on how to assemble and clean the Q Beta filters.

Once the instruction was complete, the women began to assemble the Q Beta water filter that they would take for use in their home.

The filters successfully remove harmful bacteria and parasites that cause water borne disease from the water that is used for drinking and cooking.

Water borne disease impacts primarily children and pregnant mothers; therefore, the Q Beta filters are essential to maternal child health.

In addition, the filters are distributed to schools so the children will have clean drinking water during the day as well as at home. This is the Mayan Families preschool located in San Jorge de la Laguna near Lake Atitlan Guatemala. The school includes a nutrition program for approximately 25 pre school children.

The Q Beta Water Filter Project is conducted in partnership with approximately 15 Rotary Clubs in the United States and Guatemala. Together these clubs have distributed water filters to provide clean drinking water to more than 80,000 people. For additional information on how you can get involved in this exciting Rotary International program, please contact Sandy Scoggins at sunsandy1855@yahoo.com

Sandy Scoggins will be traveling to Guatemala on Jan 25, 2009

sunsandy — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:02:36 +0000

I will be traveling to Guatemala on Jan 25, 2009. I hope to post some photos and updates while I am traveling. I will be witnessing a distribution of Q Beta Water Filters and bringing good wishes from the Bonita Springs Rotary Club to our partner Rotarians in Guatemala.

Coban Rotary Club Accepts Delivery of 1022 Water Filters

sunsandy — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:39:23 +0000

The Rotary Club of Coban accepted delivery of 1022 Q Beta Water Filters. International Partner is Bonita Spring Rotary Club. The Rotarians in Guatemala will be delivering filters to schools and homes in the Coban area in February. Thank you Rotary!

Q Beta Water Filters -Simple Solution to a Complex Problem

sunsandy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:22:40 +0000

Our Challenge

In Guatemala reliable supplies of clean drinking water are at a premium. About 60% of the inhabitants of Guatemala live in poverty. It is estimated that 80% of all infectious diseases are water-borne, and providing clean drinking water will lead to better health. Also 50% of infants suffer from water-borne disease, and this is a key factor in the high infant mortality rate. The number of deaths due to water borne disease is staggering.

A Simple Solution

The Q Beta water filter provides a complete supply of safe drinking water for each family. This in home filtration system does not require a well, electricity or pluming. It is a 2 bucket, 1 micron, gravity filtration system which effectively removes the bacteria that cause water-borne disease. Because it is so simple, it can be easily delivered and it makes an immediate improvement in the health of the whole family. Proper education about the importance of clean water, hygiene and sanitation accompanies the filter.

How You Can Help

The Bonita Springs and Lakewood Ranch Rotary Clubs of Florida are working Guatemalan Rotary Clubs to provide Q Beta Filtration Systems. Each $50,000 Matching Grant water project will provide approximately 1000 filters that will make a ‘life or death difference’ in the lives of about 10,000 people. Our plan is to conduct quarterly projects.

Please contact us to provide either an individual or club donation

Sandy Scoggins (239) 961-2130 sunsandy@comcast.net

Ron Myers (941)744-1557 ron_myers@earthlink.net

jasondolle — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:27:25 +0000

This week we distributed 75 water filters to families in Panabaj. The families were so happy to receive these filters that will give clean water to their families.

Thank you Rotary!

These filters were extra special because George Lewis from Florence Rotary Club donated all these filters and more in honor of Travis Hilfer, the 22yr old son of Becky and Brent Hilfer who tragically lost his life in a car accident earlier this year. Every filter has a special message printed underneath the Rotary emblem noting these filters are given in Honor of Travis Hilfer.

Thank you George!

The Capulin School in Panajachel received 9 water filters for their morning classes.

jasondolle — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:58:55 +0000

The Capulin School in Panajachel received 9 water filters for their morning classes. The teachers were so happy that they would now be able to give the children clean drinking water.
Thank you Rotary.

DK Lee, the President of Rotary International, was recently in Guatemala

jasondolle — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:01:55 +0000

DK Lee, the President of Rotary International, was recently in Guatemala. Juan Carlos is the President Elect of the RC of Guatemala Sur and the filter wholesaler.

Letters like this make you proud to be a Rotarian.

jasondolle — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:10:23 +0000

Letters like this make you proud to be a Rotarian. Thanks for all your help.
George Lewis

Dear George,
I am writing to express my gratitude and the gratitude of so many people here for the hard work that you and Rotary has done to provide clean drinking water.

So many people here are suffering from illness caused by having dirty drinking water.
I have personally seen young children with their rectums falling out from the ravages of intense diarrhea caused by dirty drinking water.

We constantly have people come to us for help with stomach pains and intestinal problems caused by the lack of clean water. These bacteria’s cause serious health problems.

We have provided water filters to approx. 2000 families. This is an incredible benefit to their lives. We have provided water filters to every school in the area. All the children can now have clean drinking water.

I remember one woman proudly telling me that now her children could drink “as much water as they wanted” . Before this she was buying water for her children to drink but they could only afford one large bottle a week.

Another woman told me that ” now all her water and the drinks she makes does not taste like chloro, – everything is delicious “ Chloro is what she was putting into the dirty drinking water so that it was not dangerous for her family.

The cost of living in Guatemala has increased this year by 38%. Many families are struggling to have enough to eat. Rotary Water Filters are enabling families to be able to drink clean water at no cost. Many of the families that before hand would have been able to afford one large bottle of drinking water for the week, probably could no longer afford it…so this project is a huge blessing for them.

We have people every day coming to the house…….asking to be put on the list for water filters. We have schools hearing that other schools have clean water and asking if we can provide that for their students as well, we have women’s groups forming trying to get help for their communities.

We just want you to know how much we appreciate all of your hard work. Please know every day people are benefiting from having these water filters.

Rotary does so many wonderful things, providing one of the basics – such as clean water is just such a gift.

Thank you to your club and all the other donors for all their hard work,
God Bless you all,
Warmest regards,
Sharon