Living Waters for the World (LWW) - 2010 Haiti Earthquake

Background

The Living Waters network in the Republic of Haiti was established in 2008 to coordinate, train and create sustainability for the rapidly growing treatment plants located there. Little Brothers of Saint Therese (LBST) and OCDES (Organization, Communication, Development, Education and Social) are the two main non-profits though which most of our communication and money is channeled. LBST is a Catholic order that has 16 houses and 75 brothers scattered in various parts of Haiti. OCDES is in charge of operating over 40 Episcopalian schools with 14,000 school children

Opportunity

Ayiti (Haiti) is often called the land where good intentions come to die. It is the poorest country in this hemisphere. There is very little potable drinking water in Haiti; the need for the services of organizations like Living Waters for the World is great.

This has now been greatly exacerbated by the recent earthquake that has devastated the country. LWW Haiti Network Coordinating Team moderators Chris McRae and Bob McCoy have traveled to Haiti and made an initial assessment of the damage to LWW systems, as well as survey potential new sites. A priority list of sites and tasks has been assembled. Nine priority sites have been identified and trips are planned or are in the planning stages. As work continues, additional sites are identified and documented.

Due to the enormity of the task at hand, Jerry Goode has been appointed to manage the Haiti relief project, working closely with our Haiti network team moderators.

Some key points:

1. Six of nineteen clean water systems were destroyed. This is particularly remarkable given that the epicenter of the earthquake was near Leogane, which has been the center of our work since 2001. Some of those systems have since been made functional with parts from their damaged counterparts.

2. LWW system sites that were unharmed are continuing to produce water to the best of their abilities.

3. A Priority Plan of Action for Haiti has been developed and destroyed systems will be rebuilt as soon as possible, with first priority given to reconstructing the building and system at the orphanage in Leogane, where presently 100 orphans are now homeless.

4. Haiti is the site of our first two solar-powered water systems, and we are committed to retrofitting our other Haitian systems with inadequate energy infrastructure with solar power, as well as use solar power for all future water systems there. The additional cost for solar power generation for a LWW system is approx. $5000.

5. Teams are being formed and trained and existing teams are being encouraged to consider Haiti sites as Initiating Partners. Individual volunteers interested in working in Haiti are being recorded and will be placed with teams where feasible. Grants to assist with equipment purchases are available to teams considering Haiti.

NOTE: If you are interested in becoming directly involved with the solar-powered aspects of our Haitian Clean Water Systems, please attend the SUTS Solar School, the training and equipping ministry of the Synod of the Sun’s Solar Under the Sun project. Two sessions, each offering two distinct workshops, will be offered this year:

May 13 – 16, 2010
September 9 – 12, 2010

By sending students to attend both the Solar I and Solar II workshops during a Solar School session, teams will be capable of implementing solar to power not only water treatment systems, but other applications as well.

If your team has not yet been trained at Clean Water U, please click here for more information.

U.S. congregations of any denomination or civic organizations wishing to participate in the LWW Haiti Network during this time of rebuilding are invited to contact Jerry Goode for more information.

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Mission Opportunities

Living Waters for the World trains and equips church mission groups and others to share the gift of clean water with communities in need.

Living Waters for the World has established regional networks in countries where groundwork has already been laid by previous LWW mission groups. The purpose of these networks is to identify clean water mission opportunities and to bring initiating and operating partners together whenever possible.

If your group does not currently have a prospective mission partner in need of clean water, we encourage you to review the information outlined below.