This trip was the follow-up review of the practicality, durability, usage and effect of the water filters in the target villages.

From the many villages visited and interviews with staff of our village medical clinics and the director of Public Health of the Ministry of Health in Puerto Lempira…

I can report to you that the project is a resounding success.

The degree of usage and caring for the units validate the coordinator’s reports that diarrhea and parasitic infestation are “Way down”. There is 100% usage of the filters by the families that have them. The villagers are going to great extremes to care for the filters – most cleaning them every three days, all at least weekly. The fact that they are tending to them so diligently indicates to me that the people are seeing measurable results. Plus, the requests from other villages for filters for their communities, tells us the project is indeed working as expected.

It is interesting to note that villagers are not taking the units with them when they travel to their “plantations” (farming sites way remote from the village). They bottle water from the filter and take jugs with them vs. risking the units during long hazardous travel in dugout canoes.

I am also impressed that the villagers are expending quite some effort to harvest cleaner water for the filters from swamp tributaries as opposed to collecting water in the contiguous rivers.

The villages of Uhsan, Lacunca, Baikanrutawan and Sih Honduras report no “0” breakage. The coordinators have done great jobs of instruction in care and utilization.
Warunta had problems. The lady we engaged as coordinator there departed the village soon after the project’s launch and that portion of the project floundered. Several units were incorrectly assembled and there were six cartridges broken. Some villagers were using the “clean” bucket for gathering water and with few exceptions they were not cleaning the units properly. We had a community meeting and went through the correct procedures to the appreciation of the villagers.

I am getting the necessary replacement cartridges for the six families there that need them. We urgently need thirty additional complete units for families in Warunta that do not have units of their own. (About $30 each and a reserve of replacement cartridges at $10 each.)
In thanking us, Alehendrena, our village coordinator in the village of Uhsan, commented ‘If you do not help us… who will?’

Along with the villagers who all send their thanks “Tinki Pali” I add my sincerest appreciation to you for bringing these forgotten people the gift of clean, safe water.

Yours In Service,

Gary
Gary Becks
Rescue Task Force
Photo Albums
Distribution of the 700 filters http://rtf.phanfare.com/5000732
Water Filter Photo Album http://rtf.phanfare.com/2928191

Donations
Online at: www.rescuetaskforce.org

Mail:
Rescue Task Force
864 N. Second Street #340
El Cajon, CA 292021

Rescue Task Force is a program of World Emergency Relief

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday 23 October, 2009

11:30 hrs                                                                                                                 

Contact: Gary Becks

(760) 930-8001

Friday: (619) 328-6511

Andrea stone (619) 991-3669

SAN DIEGO NONPROFITS RESPONDING TO TYPHOON

Nearly 900 Dead, Hundreds of Thousands Displaced in Wake of Philippines Disasters

Today, another typhoon, Lupit – “cruel” in Filipino language, is threatening the Philippines.

Help is Coming:

Local nonprofits Rescue Task Force (RTF), World Emergency Relief (WER), International Relief Teams and Mabuhay Alliance have combined efforts and are sending additional cash and overseas shipping containers of tents, sleeping bags, flashlights and general relief supplies.  The coalition is also shipping a full container of medicines, blankets, bandages, gloves and medical equipment.

Of special need are the non-prescription meds:

According to Gary Becks, president and founder of RTF and CEO of WER, “in the days after a disaster people, especially the very young and very old are particularly  susceptible to waterborne illnesses.  To us, diarrhea is an inconvenience, unchecked, to disaster victims, it can be fatal with death from dehydration in 72 hours.”

Becks further states that “A priority concern is outbreaks of cholera and other disaster related diseases.  After such a natural disaster, the death and human misery continues to climb at shocking rates.”

On September 26^th, when the first typhoon, Ketsana, hit the Philippines RTF and WER sent immediate funds to local Project Partners of many years to provide emergency relief. That typhoon killed over 800 people and has displaced over 300,000 others to evacuation shelters.

You can help.  Today.  Donations are urgently needed.

Checks:

Rescue Task Force

864 N. second Street  #340

El Cajon, CA  92021

On Line;

www.rescuetaskforce.org

# # #

Most likely there will be positive results.

As you may recall I was in Honduras just a few weeks ago and at that time our local volunteers and many friends in Honduras reported living in constant fear…

President Zelaya had begun a process of referendum with the goal of re-writing the Honduras constitution, thus permitting him to run for reelection.  (The Constitution calls for a single term for the President.)

Honduras is a very poor country.  Our project coordinator in Honduras tells me that about 70% of the population lives at or below the poverty level.

Some months ago President Zelaya increased the minimum wage by presidential decree.  Details of the increase vary greatly – The Washington Times reported 300%.

The increase caused great excitement and great expectations among the poor.

The result, however, of that tripling brought extreme chaos and exacerbated the poverty situation as employers already struggling began massive lay-offs of employees.  Next, followed closing of machiladora factories – more lay-offs.

As a result, as accounted to me by several different people, there has been a crime wave of massive proportions.  The most horrid part of the crime wave is that typically the robbers are more nervous than their intended victims.Hungry people are preying on those who still have jobs.  These are NOT criminals and are often shaking with such nervousness that their guns go off by accident and machete attacks more severe than the robbers intend.  These “robbers” are fathers and brothers who have families that have to have food.  They are not taking kidnap victims and demanding high ransoms – they are robbing for a few dollars for food.

The situation was bad when our team was there in May.  I was very, very worried about Andrea and our disaster team that responded to the earthquake two weeks ago.  Desperate people sometimes do desperate things.

As order is restored, and the rule of law prevails I anticipate the danger to our local volunteers and U.S. volunteer teams reducing to tolerable risk levels.

Jungle villages are not affected and all containers have been delivered with no problems.

Yours In Service,
Gary Becks
(619) 329-6511
www.rescuetaskforce.org