This article was originally posted in AWTGRAM, the monthly newsletter of PWW’s partner, AWT (Association of Water Technologies), for its members. Shared with permission.
Windshield Time–Honduras Style
Highlights from an AWT Member’s trip to Honduras with our charity partner, Pure Water for the World.
By Rye Thompson, Innovative Water Consulting
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“Toyota Hilux Trucks work darn-hard on rural Central American dirt roads!”
“Windshield time” took on a whole new meaning last week, as I found myself standing in flatbeds, in the open air, riding with the Pure Water for the World (PWW) staff and volunteers from across the United States in rural Honduras. We were making “service calls”… installing bio-sand water filters in rural, dispersed family homes. It was amazing work.
We, AWT members, are incredibly lucky to be aligned with a charity like PWW. I spent last week with them in Honduras. They are the real deal.
Here are some quick notes before I get back to my day job of running a business!
- PWW is AWT’s charity partner. We see them at AWT’s conferences and read about them in AWT’s emails. I finally pulled the trigger and joined them on a weeklong volunteer trip to Honduras, and I am so glad I did.
- Last week, we installed 35 bio-sand water filters in homes, which now provide 210 people with clean, filtered water for drinking and bathing. These families do not have running water or electricity. They use 5-gallon buckets to bring water into their homes!
- We completed the building of four latrines, complete with sinks (hand-washing stations) at two rural community schools. Folks, prior to last week, these school kids had no place to wash their hands after doing what we all do every day when we visit a bathroom. No wonder they get sick a lot!
- We distributed 200 hygiene kits for families and helped the PWW staff and local doctor administer over 350 de-worming pills. Yeah, people here have worms living in their intestines that they get from drinking and bathing in contaminated water. The PWW folks do water work with a purpose!
- Evenings were spent eating great food and sharing camaraderie and adult beverages with the volunteers.
- We visited an amazing cigar factory and bought boxes of excellent, award-winning cigars at low, low prices. Load up!
I was so impressed with how lean PWW runs. My business partner and I are pledging our 2018 charity funds to this organization as we have personally vetted them and their work.
Volunteering with PWW in Honduras is a very unique experience for AWT members to combine a week of adventure and travel with a purpose and charity. The PWW team is top notch and was at our sides the entire time while we were in their country. Our company’s employees will be joining in on future trips for sure! Maybe, we’ll see you there too!
Learn more about AWT by visiting their website.
YOU can join us on a life-changing volunteer trip. Learn more.