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Providing Access to Safe Drinking Water in the South Pacific April 2012
Clean drinking water is something we take for granted in the United States, but in impoverished communities around the world, millions lack easy access to a safe water source. Earlier this year, MITRE's Stephen Roe and Rory Jennings traveled to the South Pacific island of Fiji to take part in a volunteer effort to install home water filters in isolated, poverty-stricken areas. "When these people drink the local water, they risk contracting typhoid, tapeworms, and many other ailments," says Jennings, a lead information systems engineer. "Many of them think it's just normal that their kids continually have stomach issues and skin problems." Jennings and Roe, a principal information systems engineer, originally met when they worked together in MITRE's Eatontown, N.J., site. They were intrigued when they heard about an opportunity to volunteer in Fiji with the Give Clean Water organization. They were especially taken by the simplicity of Give Clean Water's solution—an inexpensive carbon filter connected by surgical tubing to a two-gallon bucket. For a minimal cost, this system protects users from salmonella, cholera, E. coli, and a host of other illnesses and contaminants. Give Clean Water relies on volunteers like the MITRE pair to work directly with local community organizations in Fiji and elsewhere to identify neighborhoods relying on risky water sources and to convince residents of the need for water filters. Roe and Jennings, who took advantage of MITRE's civic time policy when planning their trip, spent a week working with Give Clean Water on one of Fiji's main islands, Viti Levu. When they arrived, their team met with local community representatives and learned about the process of mapping and identifying homes in a specific area to determine which had the greatest need. "We went through the steps of GPS tagging the different homes and making a record for each family served, which we kept throughout the process," Roe says. They also spent time assembling the filter systems. "You have to drill a hole in the bucket and attach about two feet of the surgical hose, along with the filter. It takes about 10 minutes to assemble each one," he explains. Translators came with them as they approached each family, some of whom spoke the native Fijian language, while others spoke English. "There is serious poverty in these areas," Roe says. "Typically we would first approach the male of each household and capture all the names and ages of people living in the home. We would find out if they were sick and what they suffered from. Then we would install the filter device and demonstrate how to use it." "We had to make sure the residents understood why they can't drink the local water without filters," adds Jennings. "There's not a very high standard within the Fijian government for health. For many of them, the link between the contaminated water and their health wasn't obvious." "When we explained that their children would feel better, this really resonated with them," Roe says. Once the team was able to demonstrate the advantages of the system, the residents were receptive to the idea of using the filters. "They were very grateful. The culture was very open," Jennings adds. Give Clean Water keeps track of the homes where volunteers install the filters and checks back periodically to ensure the residents aren't having any problems. Both men describe the trip as a wonderful experience. "I would definitely do it again, especially given how easy it is to apply for civic time at MITRE," Roe says. Jennings agrees. "It was a great opportunity to help out less fortunate people, and to see a really amazing part of the world. It was great to have this opportunity to see a different culture and to make a difference." —by Maria S. Lee
Page last updated: May 3, 2012 | Top of page |
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