Kirsty's Volunteer Trip to Colombia
Donation protected
My name is Kirsty Moriarty and I am a recent graduate of the University of Maine with a degree in microbiology. This past July I had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Northern Colombia with a group of seven women from the Bangor area to work with a Colombian NGO called Aguayuda to test the efficacy of water filtration systems in various indigineous communities. While there, our group was responsible for testing both the source and filtrate in 19 different communities for total coliforms, E. coli, arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, conductivity, and turbidity. A blog following our trip in July can be found here.
The Global Water Crisis is not something we often think about in the United States. We have confidence and even the expectation the water coming from our faucet is clean and safe to drink. Other countries in the world are not so lucky—in fact, an estimated 40% of the global population does not have access to basic sanitation, owed to the lack of clean water. As a member of the University of Maine’s student chapter of the WaterForMe Foundation, we believe access to clean water is not a luxury but a basic human right. World Health Organization guidelines have identified sanitation, hygiene, and testing as the keys to water access. By providing communities with sustainable, measurable, clean water solutions, we hope to lay the foundation for a stronger, more peaceful community and a brighter future.
While visiting in July, I was presented with the opportunity to return to Colombia to work as a short term volunteer for Aguayuda for 6 weeks from October 31st-December 12th. This time, I will be traveling by myself and working by myself to test the water in a total of 21 different communities. This is an incredible opportunity for me to combine my love for science with my passion for humanitarian work. I am humbled and honored Aguayuda has asked me to return to help them on their mission to bring and sustain clean water to some of Colombia's poorest citizens.
Any amount you would be willing to donate gets me one step closer to funding this trip. I appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and donations. Thank you!!
The Global Water Crisis is not something we often think about in the United States. We have confidence and even the expectation the water coming from our faucet is clean and safe to drink. Other countries in the world are not so lucky—in fact, an estimated 40% of the global population does not have access to basic sanitation, owed to the lack of clean water. As a member of the University of Maine’s student chapter of the WaterForMe Foundation, we believe access to clean water is not a luxury but a basic human right. World Health Organization guidelines have identified sanitation, hygiene, and testing as the keys to water access. By providing communities with sustainable, measurable, clean water solutions, we hope to lay the foundation for a stronger, more peaceful community and a brighter future.
While visiting in July, I was presented with the opportunity to return to Colombia to work as a short term volunteer for Aguayuda for 6 weeks from October 31st-December 12th. This time, I will be traveling by myself and working by myself to test the water in a total of 21 different communities. This is an incredible opportunity for me to combine my love for science with my passion for humanitarian work. I am humbled and honored Aguayuda has asked me to return to help them on their mission to bring and sustain clean water to some of Colombia's poorest citizens.
Any amount you would be willing to donate gets me one step closer to funding this trip. I appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and donations. Thank you!!
Organizer
Kirsty Moriarty
Organizer
Old Town, ME
