Clean Water for the World

A visit with the Padres.

2008-06-21T14:01:00.003-04:00

In 2001 Jerry Bohl met Father Daniel Sanchez Barbero, then the priest at Mary, Mother of the Poor Church in San Salvadore. What came of that meeting is another (beautiful) story, but the point of this blog is to inform you of the effectiveness of the system we provide. A part of the outcome of their meeting was that Jerry provided Father Daniel with the first system of the type we provide. Father Daniel and Father Luis Salazar, the current parish priest, are in Kalamazoo to take part in the ceramonies and festivities surrounding the opening of the new St Thomas Mores facility. St Toms and Mary, Mother of the Poor are sister parishes. I asked Father Daniel about it's effectiveness, what changes it had brought. He explained that the system was still working fine, that and the 3 that have since been installed to serve this large community. He noted that the most noticeable physical impact on the community was that the children at the school no longer complained about belly aches. They were no longer affected by the parasites and bacteria that came from their water source. Diarrhea and Dysentery were no longer a problem. Father Luis confirmed this. The water comes from the Rio Lempa river, which doubles as a sewer in some places. There is a national agency responsible for delivering the water and they do chlorinate it...occasionally. At any given time one has no idea what is in the water. Father Luis is thankful they have the systems providing safe clean water to the community served by the parish. Both Father Daniel and Father Luis promised to help us identify sites that could benefit from our water purification system.

YuK!

2008-05-28T14:17:00.003-04:00

This is a photo I recieved of a filter taken out of the solar powered purifier I installed in Haiti. The filter WAS white when I installed it. this is after a month of usage.Think of the water the people in this community had to drink. Normally the filters are changed Bi-monthly. Looks like we'll have to send enough for a monthly supply.

College students, Gotta love Em!

2008-05-15T22:43:00.002-04:00

I have been teaching at colleges all my adult life. For a few years now, I have been worried about the future of this country based on what I see in my students. Seems like there has been little concern for social consciousness. For years, it seems, all of them were only interested in how much money they could make after graduation. But, in the last few years something seems to have changed. A good example is my last class in humanities foundations at Western Michigan Univ. My evening group was a stellar bunch! They over-achieved on every assignment. Two standouts stepped forward to offer help to CW4W. Curt Fitzpatrick is a guy with a heart bigger than his body. he has more design skilled than anyone I have ever met, and he does it in what seems to be an effortless manner. He has helped design our new Pamphlet, letters to potential donors and other stuff in a blink of an eye. Hey has more talent and skill than anyone I have ever met!
Another one is a very pretty gal, Ashley Rolfe. She is a very creative and talented young woman who could get by on looks alone. But, after receiving her grade (she didn't need to suck up to get a good one) stepped forward to volunteer to help CW$W with some very boring but essential data entry work. Young people like these are a tribute to their generation. I am so fortunate to have met them. And... teaching them was a real JOY!

More Thanks

2008-05-15T12:08:00.003-04:00

So much for my attempts to get better or at least more regular with blogging. Ever once in a while I am driven to blog, and now is the time! There are some people I need to acknowledge for their contributions to Clean Water for the World. David Jackson works for a company called J.O. Galloup. They sell plumbing to big industry. When he read of the formation of our organization, he attempted to contact me. I was busy and thought I would be dealing with a guy that just wanted to sell me stuff. He made several other attempts to contact me, and I just blew him off. But, I neeeded to buy some solenoids so I went to J.O Galloup. Behind the counter was a BIG guy, no hair, earring in his ear. He looked like some old biker type. Not one you would peg as a softie. When he found out what I was up to he introduced himself. He has been a tremendous asset, helping me resolve several issues and getting stuff we needed. After i bought our first batch of solenoids I asked Ed Huss, a board member and procurement specialist to get me a price on the same solenoids. Ed came back with a price nearly double what I had paid. Turns out that that big biker type has a soft heart. He was giving us a very good price. Just can't tell a book by it's cover! Thanks Dave!

It's about the children.

2008-04-21T21:48:00.005-04:00

Let's face it. The hopes and dreams of the world lie in the next generation. Of the nearly 5,000 children who die daily from water borne disease, most are under 5 years. Their bodies are so fragile, they cannot fight the effects of parisites, bacteria and viruses in bad water. They are the reason Clean Water for the World exists.

"We can only give you a song"

2008-04-16T23:01:00.003-04:00

When the installation and testing was done and everyone had tasted the water, Rosie explained that the villagers would no longer have to take their kids to the local clinic to be treated for water borne disease. They could use the money to better their lives. They said to me "We cannot pay you, but we will give you a song" no music has been sweeter to my ears.

The first sip.

2008-04-16T22:54:00.002-04:00

The first sip of clean water. Most of the community was there. I took the first drink to show my faith in this simple system.

Intalling the solar panel.

2008-04-16T22:35:00.004-04:00

Installing the solar panel. It was installed on Rosies brothers roof. the wire runs to a charge controller then to the battery, then to the purification system. It ie really a simple system. I like simplicity. A 50 watt panel, 12 volt solar battery, and a simple water purification system. No moving parts, like no motorized vehicles, no T.V. - SIMPLE!

Haiti Cont.

2008-04-16T22:20:00.002-04:00

This is Main Street in Rosie's Community. No motorized vehicles, no electricity, no T.V., No Internet. a little peace of heaven if the poverty wasn't so prevalent. Still, the residents here (mostly fishermen and subsistence farmers) seem fairly contented. The children have parasites and bouts with cholera and other water borne disease. Still they smile.

CW4W First Solar Powered Installation, Haiti

2008-04-16T21:44:00.003-04:00

CW4W's first solar powered water purification system was installed in a little (400 +/- people) community across an estuary from a village called Borgne. It's easy to find. Go to the end of the road, walk through town to a spot at the edge of the estuary. The Boatman was waiting. He took me, Ed Harkness (my travelling companion),his son and Rosie across the water to the community that was to reeive the system.

New News

2008-03-19T15:26:00.002-04:00

OK. I admit it. I am not the worlds greatest blogger1 But I vow to try to do better. There is so much going on, and I have to share the good news. First, My congratulations to Judy Miller and the group from Appleton, Wisconsin who installed one of our systems in the community of Las Lagunas, Niceragua. It seems to be the perfect application for the system we make.
I have just returned from Haiti where I installed our first solar powered unit. It worked like a charm. It is adjacent to a community well in a secure setting. I'll try to post some photo's of both installations as soon as figure out how to do that! I am also awaiting charge converters for two units that will go out to Burkina Faso in Africa. They will be installed in orphaneges. Both of these are also perfect applications. Stay tuned. I promise to do better in my blogging. Peace, Paul

Thanks!

2008-02-17T20:25:00.003-05:00

I would be remiss if I did not thank all the people who have helped and suppoted Clean water for the World. Joe Estowski, our web master who created our web site, My board (visit cleanwaterfortheworld.org) who have been so jenerous and supportive, My daughters Nicole and Lauren who have supported all my work. Brandon Neblitt for creating the w3ater borne pathogens portion of our website, and others who I will credit later.

2008-02-17T20:08:00.002-05:00

Spent last night with a great old friend, Brad Johnson. Brad and I go back for years. He has been a great supportor of Cleanwaterfortheworld.org Donating resources and supporting our work, Last night I picked up 3 boxes, 2 of which will provide clean water for 2 villages in Haiti. I also must thank David Jackson of Galloup for helping me get the parts to build the new units that will be the first solar powered units thst we have installed. So much help for a great cause, helping children live long enough to make a difference.

Clean Water

2008-02-15T23:23:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Clean Water for the World!
Please visit our Web site: www.cleanwaterfortheworld.org and watch for more information coming very soon!