In 1994, a dentist from Brattleboro, Vermont traveled to a small village in El Salvador to provide medical services. Moved by the poor living conditions, he vowed to make a difference. After rallying colleagues in his Vermont-based Rotary Club, he returned with a mission to bring potable water solutions to villagers. After outgrowing the capacities of the Rotary Club, the project became a 501(c)3 in 1999.
Water is essential for life. Safe water is the basis for human health and wellbeing and the foundation to healthy economies and communities. Through the provision of safe water and sanitation tools and extensive educational training, Pure Water For The World continues their commitment to end the senseless suffering and death among children and their families in Central America and the Caribbean caused by preventable waterborne diseases.
Each year, more than 2 million deaths are attributed to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene practices. 90% of these deaths are among children, mostly in developing countries. Unbelievably, 2.5 billion people have no access to basic sanitation and 1 in 9 people on Earth lack access to safe drinking water.
Perpetual economic hardship occurs for many families because of the lack of safe water. When a parent is sick, productive work and income is lost. When a child is sick, school is missed and persistent illnesses impact physical and mental development and result in significant and long-term consequences to the child’s future. Patients suffering from waterborne diseases occupy 50% of all hospital beds in the developing world.
Safe water is medicine. It saves lives. It brings new hope and establishes the foundation for real change. Sustainable, cost-effective solutions exist to provide safe water to everyone.
“We have partnered with over 200 communities, reaching more than 750,000 people in Haiti and Central America with life-changing, sustainable safe water, hygiene and sanitation solutions.” – Jamie Marie Gelder, Program Manager
Why Bhakti loves this project
Bhakti is passionate about organizations that are changing people’s lives. Pure Water For The World is making sure women and families have life’s most basic necessities, receive hygiene training and are benefitting from a safer environment. You can learn more about Pure Water For The World at purewaterfortheworld.org.