AquaBoxes have helped save thousands of lives from Albania to Zaire, bringing emergency relief in the wake of disasters.
Harvest investigates…
The Need
Disasters, both natural and man-made, can strike at any time and in any place. Hurricanes, floods, wars - all lead to large numbers of people being made homeless, often without food or clothing. As if this isn't bad enough, disease often follows close behind. Dirty water can be a breeding ground for typhoid and cholera, but even minor illnesses can lead to diarrhoea and potentially fatal dehydration in younger children. In these situations, the most urgent issue facing aid workers is the provision of safe drinking water. Whilst it may be possible to get water shipped in, this may take weeks - or the situation may make it altogether impossible. This is where easily transported on-site water purification equipment can really save lives. Exposure to the elements is another source of danger; left without adequate clothing and shelter, people rapidly start to suffer. Here too there is a need to give people back the basics as quickly as possible. AquaBoxes seek to tackle both these problems. The aim of their inventor is: "To provide in the wake of both man made and natural disasters a rapid response provision of safe drinking water and welfare aid items."
A standard AquaBox comprises a large, reusable plastic container with a water purification set inside. It can deliver up to 1100 litres of safe drinking water to help a family through the first few weeks after a disaster. The box also has enough spare room to hold clothing, eating utensils, basic hygiene supplies, survival bags for sleeping, tools, candles, and even a couple of toys - enough to help up to four people who have lost everything. AquaBoxes containing only water purification equipment are also sent out to disaster areas. These have a much greater capacity, treating over 30,000 litres, and are useful in emergency treatment centres, clinics and hospitals, or in areas where there is an on-going need. To put these figures in perspective, 1000 litres would supply a family of four people for four months. In use, once the box has been emptied, a tap is fitted (included in the kit) and the box filled with whatever water is available locally. This is initially strained through muslin to remove any solid matter, then a purification tablet is added. After just two hours, the water is safe to drink - free from diseases such as cholera, typhoid and bilharzia. AquaBoxes have been sent to help in many of the high-profile disasters in recent years, including Hurricane Mitch, El Salvador, Uganda and Gujarat in India. But they are also sent to help in situations that never reach the news in the UK.
Anyone can get involved in helping with the AquaBox scheme, both individuals and groups. In fact, people in Ashtead have already made a valuable contribution to the scheme, filling over 80 boxes to date. That's enough to directly help more than 300 people. Schools, church groups and individuals have all been involved - and are continuing to help. The first step is to get an empty AquaBox, available from the contacts at the end of this article. Each one comes with a water purification kit, survival bags and a list of welfare items to be obtained. Normally donations of around £40 are invited for each box, to cover equipment, delivery and storage costs, but if you can't afford that Ashtead Rotary have some available free. The list of items to obtain contains a mix of required and optional items: clothing for adults and children, eating and drinking utensils, basic hygiene articles, a few tools, toys, a torch, candles etc. Most items can be second-hand, so long as they are clean and have at least 6 months use left in them. Selecting some items can be difficult, since you don't know whether the box will go to a hot or cold country, or what age or sex the recipients will be - it's a compromise. But once the boxes arrive at their destination, families can swap items to suit their needs. And warm clothes are useful even in hot countries, where it can get very cold at night. Once packed, the box can be returned - postage is prepaid. It will be stored in a special warehouse until needed. Each box is numbered, and when it is sent out, the AquaBox team will try to advise you of its destination. You can also include a personal note or message in the box if you wish.
Harvest
spoke to some of the people involved in filling one of the boxes.
The most common response was that it had been very thought-provoking, bringing home a little of what it must be like to lose everything suddenly.
At harvest time, as we give thanks for all that we have, the AquaBox scheme offers a very practical way to share some of that with others.
| If you or your group would like to fill a box or find out more about the scheme, please contact David Mitchell-Baker on 274276 or John Parker on 278523. You can also visit the AquaBox website at www.rotary1220.org/aquabox Alternatively, if you do not feel able to help fill a box yourself, but would still like to contribute, it is possible to make a financial donation to the scheme. This will either go towards the provision of dedicated purification boxes, or sponsoring the cost of standard boxes for others to fill. |
