Main fundraiser photo

2019 Water Filters For Villagers

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Clean Water Filters for African Villagers Project 2nd Village....I am going back again January 2020! 
REPORTER HERALD so excited this project was featured in the news......can see it here
http://www.reporterherald.com/lifestyles/neighbors/ci_31822526/loveland-photographer-works-bring-clean-water-african-villages

                                                                        
Hi, I am Georgia Evans. 

Two years ago I planned to fulfill a dream to go on an African Photo Safari. While researching the location I noticed in a magazine that African women were carrying water in buckets on their heads collected from suspect looking water sources (one had hippos and elephants wallowing around in it) and I thought to myself, "How can that be healthy? That has got to be full of disease." Then, I thought about the water filters that I take backpacking and wondered if that wasn't a simple solution for them to have clean water to drink? How hard could that be? Well, one thing led to another.....


With a little research I realized I could get larger community size water filters from Vestergaard to help these people. I found that they do not require batteries, chemicals or electricity to clean large amounts of water for a small village. Perfect for a remote village that does not have a well or plumbing!

Can you imagine drinking this gunky water without a filter??? Me neither. Ick!



So, two years ago I successfully raised $2500 (online and offline) from generous people and did my first water filter project in Tanzania, Africa. 

The filters were ordered,  shipped and actually arrived on time to my hotel in Tanzania, Africa. I remember feeling nervous because I wasn't sure if they would even be there upon my arrival in Africa or not...I also had to pay a $100 bribe to border guards between Kenya and Tanzania to get these water filters across the border. It was just expected.

Anyway, they made it safely and my local trip guides, Victor, Juma & Richard at Top Guides, loaded them up on the safari vehicles. Then we all headed into the Serengeti to meet the Massai villagers at their hut village near the Ngorongoro Crater. 

The Massai chief wears a  handsome necklace with matching wrist and ankle bracelets to meet guests.


The young chief greeted us with warm enthusiasm and directed us proudly to their little school,  see below. It had a lot of hand painted wall decor, so it was obvious this was a special place for this small community.


The room had school benches and chairs, some lovely cut window glass decor, a chalk board with a teachers table and that is about all.  Lots of chickens roamed about inside and out.



My African guides unloaded and carried one of the two filters into the school for the children. Villagers eagerly pitched in to help as these filters are pretty good sized and cumbersome to carry. Photo above is me unpacking and assembling the community size filter.

Then everyone stood around and watched as I put the filters together. Lots of children of all ages were expectantly seated on their benches in the schoolroom as well.

The Massai chief was very friendly and interested in having clean water. He listened intently as I tried to explain how to use the filters. It was clear that he felt deeply about helping his people have clean water to drink. Waterborne illness is a constant problem for them.

I am assembling one of the water filters.



However, we realized quickly, there was a good bit of a language barrier. This chief only had a few words of English and I did not speak Massai and my local guides only spoke Swahili. It was my mistake to assume that my local African guides would be able to talk with the Massai villagers.

So, I was just kicking myself because it had never occurred to me to even ask if I would need a translator when we got to this village. My concern began to grow during this exchange as I was not certain if this chief understood all my words and hand signals or not.

We also tried to discuss the 50 small individual size personal water filter straws they can carry or hang around their neck when they go out into the Serengeti to gather water, wood and herd their cattle. 

This is me and the chief below inside the little school building.



So, we soon found ourselves laughing a bit and we decided to take the other community sized filter (I brought two) to the center of his village where his people had gathered to sell jewelry to our group and give an actual demonstration with water. Yes, laughter is a universal language!

This felt like the  solution to the problems so when we drove away I felt confident the filters would get good use. 


It was nothing but fun and a truly unique cultural exchange with these amazing people. Even though the filters are simple and require no chemicals, electricity, batteries, etc. (only gravity), it was still an interesting task trying to explain what they needed to know, especially the bilge pump, etc.  Communication was "sketchy" at best.



I also gave 50 personal size water filters to hang around the neck to the women and girls. They were actually slapping each others hands to get one. LOL

The women make all the mud/dung/stick/thatch homes seen in these photos.



SPECS & STUFF ABOUT THE WATER FILTERS by Vestergaard

LifeStraw® Community is a high-volume point-of-use water purifier with built-in safe storage that provides safe drinking water for community, educational and institutional settings. It prevents waterborne disease such as diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, worms, and cryptosporidiosis.

They are gravity filters and do require batteries, electricity or chemicals.

Hollow fibre filtration technology converts contaminated water into safe drinking water 
Removes a minimum of 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.999% of viruses and 99.99% of protozoan parasites
Reduces turbidity (muddiness) by filtering particulate matter larger than 0.02 microns
Meets the standard for the “highly protective” category of household water treatment options by the World Health Organization and complies with US EPA guidelines for microbiological water purifiers
Can purify between 70,000 -100,000* litres of water, enough to serve community settings for several years
Chemical-free
Made of durable plastic
Doesn’t require electrical power or batteries

BEFORE WATER FILTER & AFTER WATER FILTER!

Helps Reduce Waterborne Diseases
Waterborne diseases are caused by drinking contaminated or dirty water. Contaminated water can cause many types of diarrheal diseases, including Cholera, and other serious illnesses such as Guinea worm disease, Typhoid, and Dysentery. Water related diseases cause 3.4 million deaths each year. LifeStraw® water filters remove the bacteria and pathogens that contaminate water to decrease the incidence of waterborne diseases.



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While I was in Africa I also fulfilled my childhood dream and went on a wildlife (photo) safari. Wildlife are abundant here from elephants and lions to cheetahs, rhinos, giraffes, wildebeests, gazelles, water buffalo, hippos, and so much more! Was wanting to see a leopard...but hopefully next trip.


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WHY DO THEY NEED WATER FILTERS? 
These Massai villagers live in round mud houses with thatched roofs and hard packed dirt floors just as they have done for centuries. They have no running water, A/C, heat, lighting, plumbing or electricity. Each hut has a small fireplace/hearth in the middle and the sides are walled off to make two rooms for sleeping and one for cooking. The mud/dung/grass/hay and stick huts are built completely by the women! I was amazed. Serious women power!

The girls and women spend a good deal of time each day collecting water in buckets that they carry back to their village on their heads from remote streams and water sources often miles away. They also gather wood for cooking and boiling. The presence of a water filter will also help them reduce some of the tree cutting and wood gathering because they will not have to boil the water.


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TECH STUFF ABOUT THE WATER FILTERS courtesy Vestergaard

LifeStraw® Community in Schools

Many schools in developing countries don’t have access to safe drinking water.
LifeStraw® Community is ideal as a safe drinking water component in school-based WASH programs.
Four taps allow children to access water at high volumes.
Can reduce school absenteeism by preventing children from getting waterborne disease.
Children can be strong advocates of safe water and hygiene at home to their parents when they learn it at school.
Availability of clean water can motivate parents to send their children to school.
LifeStraw® Community at Health Facilities

Safe drinking water is vital in health facilities for:

Administering medicines
Hand washing facilities
Safe handling and removal of feces
Personal hygiene
Millions of preventable infections occur every year within the health care environment because of inadequate attention to WASH.
Patients with HIV/AIDS need water treatment that can prevent cryptosporidiosis, which has developed a resistance to chlorine. 
LifeStraw® Community in Workplaces
Many workers don’t have access to safe drinking water during work hours.
Workers who have access to safe water can experience increased productivity by staying hydrated and remaining healthy.
Workers with access to safe water can decrease their absences from work due to waterborne illnesses.


 LifeStraw® Community in Community Dining Spaces

Improves nutrition by preventing loss of vital nutrients due to diarrhea and water-related illness.
Helps prevent stunted growth and malnutrition in children who are particularly vulnerable to waterborne illness.
Helps improve the productivity of school children and workers by reducing absenteeism from sicknesses related to diarrhea and other waterborne diseases.
Contributes to economic development of the community through increased productivity of workers and income saved from avoidance of clinic expenditures.
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When we were all done they did some singing and their famous Massai jump dancing that was fascinating to watch. Some people in our tour group were invited to dance too! 



I loved this experience and I was so glad to be able to help these people with clean water and better health. 
It is important to me to give back to the world, even just a little....one village at a time.



I learned a lot from that experience...so, when I do this project again this next January 2019 I am honored to be joined by a Massai chief, who has helped National Geographic better understand the Massai culture. This revered chief will be my Massai/English translator to help better communicate how to use the water filters. 

It is my hope these water filters will help make their lives a little easier without undo changes to their culture. There are No agendas to change them or their culture, just hoping to give them clean drinking water to help them stay healthy.  This year I am also taking 160 mosquito repelling treated bed nets to help prevent malaria (a very common and deadly disease that kills one out of every 5 children).

WAYS TO HELP:
It takes a village to help a village!

This trip in January 2109 will be to THREE villages: Massai, Datoga and Hazdabe Bushmen villages 

1. Donations for 3 large community size water filters to help provide disease free drinking water in their remote village PLUS 160 mosquito repelling bed nets to help prevent malaria (a very common and deadly disease)  here on this gofundme site

OR Offline with (VISA, MC or CHECK)

2. Sharing this experience is also very appreciated...at  gofundme.com link below:
https://www.gofundme.com/cleanwaterfiltersforvillagesproject-yolasite-com

3. Become a business sponsor....scroll way down for details below. People who send $100 or more can have their logo posted on this web site if desired. Just let me know and send me your logo.

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Offline donations (CHECKS) for trip deposit can be sent to 
Georgia Evans
PO Box 866
Loveland CO 80539

OR you can call me at [phone redacted] with a VISA or MC.

Let me know if you have any questions! 

Georgia Evans, Loveland, CO


Photos are courtesy of members of the last project & safari: Susan Inness, Wayne Simpson, Donna M Cavallaro & Georgia Evans as well as Vestergaard Lifestraw Water Filters. Many thanks.

Yes they really do have lions roaming around....


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BECOME A SPONSOR
I am going to give business people who donate $100 or more a small ad...I will make it...and add it to the bottom of all my emails, web site, go fund me etc.  Weblinks give you more power with google too. It is just a small way to give something back to you too.

SPONSOR INFO at botton of all our marketing web site, gofundme page, emails that are going out soon and print products (sizes will be smaller proportionately on printed products) and this gofundmepage editing is limited) and it requires a certain size...so whatever happens happens.

We will post your logo, name, phone and or web address if desired.


Just email me your logo, name, phone and web address....be happy to send you a proof too.


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TESTIMONIALS and SUPPORTERS

LeAnn Thieman -"Such devoted life-saving work!"
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Kay Broderius -"I wholeheartedly believe in your project."
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Ann & Dick Clarke -"Georgia is an example of how one woman can decide to make a difference...and does. We are proud to support her in this small way."
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Private - "Wonderful cause that should be a basic human right planet-wide!!"
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Barbara Johnson -"Its a great cause"
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Steve Ell - "This is very important for people, especially children whose health is at risk."
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Jonelle Davis - "I donated because I believe in Georgia Evans and I believe in Water Filters for Villagers. Thank you, Georgia!"
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TC Rudolph - "Georgia, such a worthy cause. Enjoyed reading about this!"
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Roxie Ellis, Ellis Ranch and Wedding Center, Loveland CO  www.lovelandweddingsite.com
"I have known Georgia Evans for over 20 years as a friend and the Ellis Ranch has done business Westwind Graphics. When Georgia posted via Facebook that she was looking for donations to help children in Africa with providing clean water filters it was definitely a yes for the Ellis Ranch. Knowing Georgia was going to hand deliver the filters made it a win win. People like Georgia are what makes Loveland a great community."
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Melanie Lee, Oviedo, Florida     
"A gift that makes a difference!"
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Nathalie Villeneuve, PauseandPaint.com, Loveland, CO
"I hope you get to distribute these wonderful gifts to many women and children. What a great way to help!" 
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Linda Akey www.ONEHOPEWine.com
"I envision all those people can drink safe water and be healthy and happy!"
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Jonelle Davis, JonelleDavisIntuitive.com, Fort Collins, CO
"Thank you for doing this, Georgia! You are an Angel on earth."
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Sarah Scott, retired Richardson High School, TX Teacher
"Georgia is a reliable teacher-guide-photographer. Bet this will be a great experience.'
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JoAnn McDermott, McDermott Enterprises, Lakewood, CO
"That's so cool - so awesome you're doing this!"
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Stacia Fuller, www.myfavoritepainters.net/ Loveland, CO "Amazing!"
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Marilyn Foster, Fort Collins, CO
"Wow, that's awesome!"
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Kim Anderson Sherrod, TX
"What a life changing gift , Georgia!"
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"Thank you, Georgia Evans, for your heart and hard work!"
Jonelle Davis, Intuitive






Want to be a BUSINESS SPONSOR? Contact Georgia
Details above...scroll back up.

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      THANK YOU TO OUR BUSINESS SPONSORS






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Donations 

  • Zach Miller
    • $100 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer

Georgia Evans
Organizer
Loveland, CO

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