Thirst Relief Worldwide Water Projects
• Congo Water Project
• Cameroon Water Project
• Amazon Water Project
• Zambia Water Project
• India Water Project
• Mexico Water Project
• Kenya Water Project
• Tanzania Water Project
Thirst Relief International utilizes a proven partnership operating model to implement our worldwide water projects. Within this partnership model, Thirst Relief International serves as the funding conduit and project manager for the water project, and the partner organization, as an extension of Thirst Relief, provides the field oversight and labor to implement the clean drinking water solutions at the point of need. Our partner organizations are selected based on the organizational, operational, and financial health of the organization; the integrity, purposes, and goals of the organization; and the strength of the relationship (or potential relationship) between the organization and Thirst Relief International.
Our water projects are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to provide the most cost effective and results focused solution. A given water project evaluation includes identifying the need, including geographical location, number of individuals effected, and raw water source, and establishing the most appropriate clean water provision method. Once the clean water provision method has been selected, Thirst Relief provides the necessary funding and training to set-up the water project, and then the ongoing funding to sustain the project.
Back to the topCongo Water Project
One in five children in the Democratic Republic of Congo dies before reaching 5 years of age. Diarrhea and other water-related diseases account for 1 in 10 of these child deaths. For those that survive past age 5, the average life expectancy is only 49 years. Further, less than half of the Congolese population has access to safe drinking water. At the current rate, the country will not meet safe water and sanitation targets under the World Heath Organization's Millennium Development Goal 7. This problem points to the need for greater awareness of an investment in safe water and sanitation in the DR Congo.
The Congo Water Project is targeting the provision of safe, clean drinking water to the villages of the Kete Tribe (called Bakete) in the province of West Kasai. The initial pilot project will distribute 1,000 Biosand water filters to 52 villages of the Kete Tribe comprising an approximate population of 10,000 people. The Kete Tribe is a minority tribe, not well known to the world. The Kete people live in small remote villages, but in big families of parents, children, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews. In all the villages, there is no running water or electricity. Water is plentiful from the many small rivers and streams, but not safe for drinking due to contamination by urine, faeces, and infected animals. Nonetheless, they have no other choice. Mothers and young girls walk up to 10 miles every day to fetch the contaminated water for their families. The Biosand filters are a solution to break the continued transmission of water-related diseases such as cholera, shigella, dysentery, malaria, diarrhea, and most recently on outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
The Congo Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with the Cooperative Bidiep-Bidiep based out of Benamuayi, the central village of distribution, and the coordination efforts of John Kafunyi Mwamba based out of Dublin, OH. The cost to build, distribute, and install a concrete Biosand water filter is estimated at $50, which in turn benefits 10 people in need. The Congo Water Project has resources/infrastructure ready and waiting to provide 30 Biosand filters per month.
Back to the topCameroon Water Project
The Cameroon Water Project seeks to address the clean water needs of the rural population of Cameroon. Even within the capital city of Yaounde and the other major cities of Cameroon, the water that flows from the tap is dirty and contaminated at times. As a result, the long-term vision of the Cameroon Water Project is to introduce the BioSand filters to those in need nationwide.
The first target area for this water project is the village of Nkuv nestled in a remote location in the northwest portion of the country (a 4 hour trek from Kumbo, the closest city). For this community of some 700 inhabitants, there is no access to clean drinking water, electricity, good roads, or health clinics. The Nkuv villagers take their drinking water source from the muddy tributary rivers in the region, which are a 20 to 30 minute walking distance from their homes. These same rivers are used to wash clothes and water their livestock. Although these rivers are vital to the existence of the Nkuv community, they are also source of disease and sickness. As most families do not boil the river water before drinking, water-related sickness and disease is common among the children between 1 and 10 years old. The distribution of BioSand filters will serve to greatly reduce water-related illness and disease among the Nkuv population.
The Cameroon Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with the Life & Water Development Group – Cameroon (LWDGC) based out of Yaounde, Cameroon. The cost to build, distribute, and install a BioSand water filter is $45, which in turn benefits 10 people in need on average. The Cameroon Water Project has resources/infrastructure ready and waiting to implement 30 BioSand filters per month.
Back to the topAmazon Water Project
The Amazon Water Project addresses the clean drinking water needs of the “forgotten river people” living in the hidden villages deep in the Amazon Basin. Approximately 80% of illness and disease among the river people is waterborne related. Further, the extremely remote and rural location of these people makes it nearly impossible to seek medical help in the more developed cities of the region. As a result, our goal is to address the problem at its source and provide clean drinking water to those in need, thereby preventing waterborne disease rather than treating it.
The problem that exists with access to clean drinking water in this region is that many people live on the flood plain, and it is very difficult and costly to dig wells. When wells are dug, they become easily contaminated by rust or other debris. This makes the Biosand filter a viable option, as it can provide clean water from the abundant surface water sources in the region.
The Amazon Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with The Xingu Mission based out of Columbus, OH and Altamira, Brazil. The cost to build, distribute, and install a concrete Biosand water filter is $65, which in turn benefits 10 to 20 people in need. The Amazon Water Project has resources/infrastructure ready and waiting to provide 60 Biosand filters per month.
Zambia Water Project
Sub-Saharan Africa is in the midst of crippling poverty, the AIDS/HIV pandemic, and up to 90% unemployment. These problems are destroying the strength and development of African families and communities. In the country of Zambia, one in five people (that’s over 1,200,000) have HIV or AIDS. There are 572,000 AIDS orphans from 0-14 years of age. Further, Zambia is ranked number 13 among the highest infant mortality rates of all the countries in the world. Unavailability of clean water is at the root of many of these problems.
In many areas of Zambia, shallow water wells with hand pumps dug many years ago provide the only source of available drinking water, most of which are in terrible states of disrepair. Small children and women are required to walk several miles up to five times a day to reach an operational hand pump well. Many people have no choice but to drink from surface water sources contaminated by human waste and garbage, thus causing great sickness and death in many instances. The repairing of wells, drilling of new wells, and the manufacturing and distribution of Biosand filters provide a source of clean drinking water, helping to greatly reduce death and disease due to waterborne illness.
The Zambia Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with Seeds of Hope International Partnerships based out of Santa Maria, CA and Ndola, Zambia. The cost to build, distribute, and install a concrete Biosand water filter is $70, which in turn benefits 10 to 20 people in need. The cost to repair an existing broken well hand pump is $300-$800, which in turn benefits 500 to 1000 people in need. The cost to drill a new well is $3,000-$4,000, which in turn benefits 500 to 1000 people in need. The Zambia Water Project has resources/infrastructure ready and waiting to provide up to 110 filters per month, repair of 16 well hand pumps per month, and drilling/construction of 60 new wells per year via strategically located projects in Ndola, the capital city of Lusaka, and Kasempa.
India Water Project
The India Water Project addresses the clean water needs of rural families living in the southern portion of India. India is the world’s second most populous country with more than 1 billion people. Its huge and growing population is putting a severe strain on all of the country’s natural resources, including water. It is estimated that only 30% of the rural Indian population has access to improved water sources. As a result, India has millions of inhabitants that lack access to clean, safe drinking water.
One major problem with access to clean water in rural India is the scarcity of it. Traditionally, rural families take their drinking water from surface water sources such as rivers, springs, and aquifers. However, surface water sources can become scarce with a shortfall of rain. In addition, most of the surface water sources are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff. The poor quality water available to those in rural India results in increased cases of water-related illness and diseases. The drilling of new wells provides a sustainable supply of clean drinking water, and circumvents the scarcity and contamination issues associated with the surface water sources.
The India Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with SWAP TRUST based out of Coimbatore, India. The cost to drill a new well in India is $1,500 to $2,000, which in turn benefits 500 to 2,000 people in need. The India Water Project has resources/infrastructure ready and waiting to drill/construct 30 new wells per year.
Mexico Water Project
The Mexico Water Project addresses the clean water needs of rural families living in the Tecate area of Mexico. Tecate is a border town located on Federal Highway 2, and has an approximate population of 100,000 inhabitants.
Water quality and quantity represent serious challenges in the rural areas around Tecate, and most people have to get their water from hand dug wells or water collection basins, or purchase water from tanker trucks, all of which are contaminated sources. The rural peoples have been advised that they should boil or otherwise treat their water, but usually drink the water untreated "because we're used to it." As a result, water-related sickness is common. The drilling of new wells and the distribution of Biosand filters, individually or in combination, provide a source of clean drinking water to reduce the water-related illness among the rural population.
The Mexico Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with Seeds of Hope International Partnerships based out of Santa Maria, CA. The cost to build, distribute, and install a Biosand water filter is $70, which in turn benefits 10 to 20 people in need. The cost to drill a new well is $4,000, which in turn benefits 1,000 people in need.
Kenya Water Project
The Kenya Water Project addresses the clean water needs of those living in the rural areas of Kenya. A large, landless, poor underclass is becoming increasingly restive and violent. HIV/AIDS is widespread and the death rate climbing with 14% of those aged 15-49 infected. The lack of clean drinking water causes many severe problems among the general population, including dehydration, starvation, and disease.
The shortage of clean drinking water in Kenya is the result of both a scarcity of water caused by widespread drought, and the contamination of the little surface water that is accessible. Young women faced with the daily chore of fetching water are required to walk as far as 10 miles to collect water from a contaminated source, often a polluted and dirty hand-dug well. In addition, economic hardship, lack of education, and no public transportation prevent many from seeking healthcare in the early stages of an illness. As a result, the high mortality rate among children under the age of 5 is due to preventable water-related diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery. The drilling of new water wells provide a source of clean, safe drinking water to turn the tide on the safe drinking water shortage in Kenya.
The Kenya Water Project is implemented at the point of need through a partnership with Streams of Life International Ministries based out of Lawrenceville, NJ and Nakuru, Kenya. The cost to drill a new well is $4,000 to $5,000, which in turn benefits 1,000 people in need. The Kenya Water Project will have the necessary resources/infrastructure to drill/construct up to 6 new wells per year.
Tanzania Water Project
The Tanzania Water Project addresses the clean drinking water needs of those living in Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. With a current population of nearly 5 million people, this semi-developed metro area is one of the top 10 fastest growing cities in the world. A major contributor to this growth is the influx of people coming from the rural areas to find a “better life” in the city. However, a significant portion of the Dar population lives in shantytowns, so the amount of people without public services is significant. It is estimated that 1 in 4 people do not have access to an improved water source.
The water supply within the city itself is unreliable, requiring rationing, and often contaminated due to frequent water main breaks and contamination of the water table during the rainy season. This is causing cholera outbreaks and other water-related health issues throughout the city. To circumvent the unreliable water supply, those that can afford the cost dig water wells in their backyards to meet their own needs, and then sell the well water to those without access to the city tap water. However, the well water is also contaminated, which causes even more water-related sickness and disease. The city officials are instructing the people to refrain from digging these wells, but the people are desperate. The wide spread distribution of Biosand filters will provide a sustainable supply of clean drinking water for those in need.
The Tanzania Water Project is planned for spring 2008, and will be based out of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, with Biosand filter distribution reaching the entire metropolitan area of this semi-developed capital city. This water project will be implemented at the point of need through a joint partnership with the Association of Vineyard Churches - Tanzania and SON International. SON International is already operating in the rural outskirts of Dar, and we are helping to fund their existing concrete Biosand filter project at a cost of $50 per filter. The Vineyard Tanzania Church will be implementing their portion of the Tanzania Water Project from the heart of the metro area. Being a new project launch with no infrastructure in place, we have selected the distribution of plastic Biosand filters as the solution of choice to provide a sustainable supply of clean drinking water for the people of Dar Es Salaam. The cost to manufacture, ship, and install a plastic Biosand water filter is estimated at $70, which in turn benefits 10 to 20 people in need. The Tanzania Water Project will have the necessary resources/infrastructure to provide up to 100 Biosand filters per month.
