Friendly Water for the World

This blog is about a local open house that was held by an Olympian organization named "Friendly Water for the World"

On Sunday, July 3, 2011, a crowd gathered in the evening at the Olympia Friends Meeting House to hear about the work and vision of Friendly Water for the World, an Olympia-based nonprofit group dedicated to expanding access to low-cost clean water technologies and information about health and sanitation to people whose health is threatened by contaminated water and lack of basic health and sanitation services.

A Friendly Water for the World
Biosand Water Filter demo model

The facts are pretty grim. According to Friendly Water for the World:

• 3.5 million people die of water related diseases every year. An estimated 1.4 million of these are children.
• Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease.
• One of of the patients in hospitals throughout the world are there for water-related illness and disease.
• In the past decade, more people have died from water-related causes than have previously died during wars.
• Close to a billion people lack access to safe drinking water.

To address these problems, Friendly Water for the World (FWW) has taken a pretty simple technology--Biosand Water Filters--and are trying to teach people how to manufacture, distribute, and maintain these water cleansing units. The Biosand Water Filters were invented by Dr. David Manz of the University of Calgary in 1993 (http://www.manzwaterinfo.ca/). This simple and sustainable technology can use local materials, is low-cost, has no moving parts, and has been tested to work for as long as 30 years without any maintenance.  The filter combines the ancient slow sand filter technology with a biologically active layer to remove pathogens and suspended solids (Click here to see How It Works). Basically, when contaminated water is put into the filter organisms are captured and collect on top of the sand. These organisms can be the very bacteria that are intended to be removed. They work to our benefit by attacking and eating other bacteria. Cholera, fecal coliform, typhoid, and bacterial dysentery are all killed here. As they die they provide food for other bacteria, thus maintaining the bacterial community, and also provide debris that creates a biological mat that provides additional filtration.

The biosand water filter produces amazing results. It can remove up to 95 - 99% of bacteria and viruses from water, and prevent cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and other waterborne diseases. The individual household models, such as the one pictured in this blog, can filter about a liter per minute. This goes a long way toward eliminating needless death and disease caused by contaminated water. In addition to the biological bacteria and viruses, the filter also removes particulate material, iron, manganese, arsenic, and fluoride.

Friendly Water for the World is currently providing filters and training services in Kenya, Barundi, India, and the Yakima Valley in Washington State. They plan to launch new efforts in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Honduras, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Haiti.

Youth in Action

Avalon's Logo

An  honored guest at the July 3 open house was Avalon Theisen, a ten-year old from Wesley Chapel, Florida. Her claim to fame is that she was nine when she entered an online contest to develop a logo for Friendly Water for the World logo. She won and her logo is now used to advertise the organization. Avalon attended the event to collect an award for being named "2011 International Youth Eco-Hero" by Action for Nature, Inc. This award program honors the work of young people between the ages of 8 and 16 who have done creative environmental projects.

Avalon is being recognized for the work she is doing for Friendly Water for the World. In addition to the logo, Avalon has been responsible for fundraising. She developed a display and has embarked on local fundraising efforts near her home in Florida. She has raised money to pay for biosand filters for families in developing countries that need them in developing countries that need them.

 Avalon receiving her Eco-Hero award from David Albert,
Chair, and Del Livingston, member of the FWW board.

After the awards were presented I had a chance to talk with Avalon. She described how she does operates her Friendly Water fundraising booth in Florida. She sells souvenirs and requests financial contributions. She likes to point out that

• $50 will pay for a a filter that provides clean water for a family for up to 30 years.
• $500 will pay for a steel mold that a community can use to build one biosand filter a day.
• $4900  will pay for an 8-day training for 25 community members to turn them into independent contractors who manufacture, distribute, and maintain filters while providing basic personal health and hygiene instructions.

After listening to her for a little while, I commented, "You're not very bashful are you?" 


She looked at me with a puzzled expression. "What's bashful?"


Maybe she was joking, but her character clearly demonstrates that she never hesitates to jump on each opportunity that might arise to solicit funds from people around her. She stated that the more certain of what she has to say, the more often that her solicitations for funds are rewarded.

Avalon with her Eco-Hero Award

Avalon also received, and was presented with, the first annual "Everything is Possible" award from Friendly Water for the World.  

Avalon is clearly an inspiration for young people who wish to become involved in making the world a better place to live. She is worth all of us keeping an eye on so that we can all learn what dedication and drive can accomplish.


Consider Making a Donation


In closing this blog I am going to put in a plug for making a donation to the Friendly Water for the World organization. You can learn more about them by visiting http://www.friendlywaterfortheworld.com/.  This website provides details as to what they are doing, what they aspire to accomplish, and how you can contribute to their efforts. There is a donation button on every page that you visit on that site.

Besides money, how else do you want to contribute to thie effrot? As stated on their Get Involved page (http://www.friendlywaterfortheworld.com/page22.html):

• Spread the word about Biosand Water Filters and the need for Friendly Water.  Invite a speaker to your church, community group, or Rotary Club.
• Volunteer for a training trip abroad.
• Organize a training in your community.  Trainings in Virginia and Washington State are planned for 2011.
• Volunteer your expertise - we need everything from fundraising to training to web design.

As they say in Africa, "Yote Yawezekana!" which means “Everything is Possible!” in Kishwahili.