We’d again like to thank everyone who is supporting Thirst-Aid. You’re part of an incredible effort that is changing and saving lives. We’ve been on the ground for a month now and have already moved from emergency response into recovery and thanks to you we’re helping communities re-build better.
Since I last wrote Curt attended and presented a poster at the WHO Symposium on Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage in Ghana. Dr. Win, the proud owner of the first ceramic water filter facility in Myanmar, was awarded a WHO grant to attend and present at the conference. Curt was able to reconnect with old friends and introduce Dr. Win to the foremost authorities on household water technologies. Curt then took a short layover in Holland so he could visit some wonderful friends and donors. We’d like to thank Pronovo High School’s staff and students for giving Curt such a warm welcome.
Dr. Win and Curt returned to Yangon invigorated, with plans on how to boost production, start country scale-up, and set-up an independent monitoring system to make sure all filters produced in Myanmar adhere to strict quality standards.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar Thirst-Aid team began a scale-up of their own.
Thin Nwe Soe and staff managed to get the IEC (Information, Education, Communication) materials ready and much of it distributed, they got copies of pertinent IEC materials produced by other INGOs, distributed another 300 filter units and 140 toilet pans with schematics on how to build fly proof, delta ready latrines, sent out more of the medicines that were brought in, distributed 50,000 aqua tabs, randomly tested 60 water filters from the two existing factories to make sure they’re maintaining quality and worked with CDA to get supplies ready for rural health centers in 4 townships. Thin Nwe Soe also went on three missions where she taught safe-water education classes and introduced the ceramic filter to the village elders. Cathy and Thin Nwe Soe hired and trained two new Myanmar women on how to use the Thirst-Ed curriculum as well as how to navigate a day in the T-A office.
Cathy also got to go on a rushed trip to Dedaye. There she was able to visit the local hospital and see examples of the toilets she’s been promoting and also help get permission for CDA to donate medical kits to the rural health centers.
In the team’s spare time they drew up a plan and found partners to introduce the new Thirst-Ed comprehensive water, sanitation and hygiene package that will not only include the training of village health workers, but will employ 30 of them for 13 days to help introduce the program and will employ 8 villagers for 6 months to monitor the program. The program will teach villagers how to use and maintain the ceramic water filter units, it will teach them about the prevention of waterborne illnesses, hand washing, tooth brushing and how to build and use a fly proof latrine. Villagers who are willing to invest their time to take the classes and pass a simple oral test will be given a safe-water certificate, ceramic water filter unit, hand soap and plastic basin, safe-water comic book, tooth brushes and tooth paste and every five households will be given the tools and materials to construct a latrine. We’ll also be conducting WASH poster contests in all of the primary schools. Grand Lotus has a professional artist that has volunteered to help. The team will begin implementing next week.
In addition, Thin Nwe Soe and Nyein Nyein are busy procuring the supplies for the above project, which will also include T-Shirts for the village health care trainees. The filter units are ready as is the transportation network. Curt, Cathy and Hsar Moo Paw are looking at houses that would be able to serve as office, lab, storage, living quarters, training center and meeting room as we have really out-grown our very basic office in the common housing development.
Curt and Cathy continue to attend NGO meetings so they’ll be up to date on government and INGO policy, meet with new partners and eat at least one relaxed meal a day.
And lastly 100 filters are being delivered to the Minister of Tourism’s special delta project. Thin Nwe Soe will go and do a Thirst-Ed presentation on Monday and again on Thursday. And a Myanmar film crew will be going to the Twante filter factory this coming week to begin making a new info-commercial on the filters for UNICEF. Thin Nwe Soe will accompany them so she can also introduce the Thirst-Ed package as well.
Thanks, gotta run
Team Thirst-Aid
For information on what the INGO community is doing and for maps: http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org/pages/home.aspx
Some of the places we’re working in:
Thirst Aid is partnering with Grand Lotus to bring the comprehensive WASHED (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Education) program to Jower, Kyaut Ye, Kyaung Su and Ngar Eain in Pyapyone Township.
We continue to work with Tour Mandalay at Alwansut village, Ace Dragon in Kayin Seit, Hlaing Thrayar, Kunchenkone, the Myanmar Health Assistant Associates in Myaung Mya, Kyung Gyangone, Kyemyindine, Aung San and we’re also continuing to work with the Community Development Association, they now have branch offices and volunteer teams in the capitals of every affected township.
To learn more about Thirst-Aid visit our web site www.Thirst-Aid.org
Thank you all for your continued support!
