The Vientiane Connection

This morning I received an email notification from Facebook. It was a friend's request from someone in Laos, specifically, Vientiane (the capitol of Laos).

In his message, he explained that while surfing one day he had encountered information about Adopt a Village in Laos' water filter project and wanted to know more.

Below is the message which he had sent to me and my response on Facebook.

Bounheng wrote: 

Sabaidee Roland Drake,

I just found your article about "Adopting a village in Laos" on internet, and I was very interested in your water filter system and things you have done to help the community in Laos. If you are in the city (Vientiane), I would love to meet you and learn more about your project. For your information, I am now a teacher at the National University of Laos. My major is on water purification system.

I replied:

Sabaidee!

Thank you so much for your message.

Since July 2010 when I first became involved with Adopt a Village in Laos, I have been volunteering in whatever capacity I can to help the organization's founders, Steve Rutledge and Mike Yap. In December 2011, I will be joining them in Laos to experience first hand the work they have been doing. I arrive in Luang Prabang on the evening of December 5. If there is an opportunity to visit Vientiane, I will definitely let you know.

If you want to know specifics about the water filtration projects, which was initiated in 2010, you can explore my blog, My Journey to Laos, at http://myjourneytolaos.blogspot.com. You can also correspond with Steve Rutledge, who will be in Laos starting in mid-October, at adoptavillageinlaos@gmail.com. He is also on Facebook and Skype.

Please mention how you initially heard about this project.

Roland

Water Filter Brochure Published

Yesterday I emailed my friend and president of Adopt a Village in Laos, Steve Rutledge, the final version of a water filter brochure I had designed for the organization. When he first saw the layout, he was absolutely thrilled.

This tri-fold design packs a lot of information into a very small package. Inside the brochure it introduces the reader to Laos by giving some quick facts about this Southeast Asian country as well as some of its history. Also inside, it provides some interesting information about the water filters themselves and a donation form. On the back page, there is an overview about Adopt a Village in Laos itself.

This Tuesday afternoon Steve will drop off some copies from the first printing for me to distribute here in Toronto.

Please feel free to download a copy of this brochure and distribute it to people who might be interested.

Anatomy of a Water Filter

In an email from Steve Rutledge, president of Adopt a Village in Laos, on March 9, he had estimated that he would need at least 500 water filters. On May 14, when he and Mike Yap, the other half of the organization, attended my 'To Laos with Love' presentation, Steve informed me that that original estimate had doubled. In other words, at least 1,000 water filters will be needed for the 2011-2012 season.

Manufactured in Chamapasak province, Laos, these gravity-fed water purification filters are effective, easy to use, portable, lightweight, inexpensive, long lasting, chemical free and durable solutions to providing clean drinking water, which we in the West take for granted. At $55.00 Canadian per unit, this is a small price to pay for a healthier life.

The illustration above reveals the ceramic filter suspended within its plastic housing. The filter's extremely small pores are highly effective at removing bacteria, protozoa, helminths, turbidity and other suspended solids. When properly used, up to 99.99% of bacteria is reduced.

Before each hill tribe family can receive a water filter, one member from each family must take a hygiene course to learn how to maintain the unit properly.

Loonies for Laos Update: Fourth Water Filter Secured

On April 25, 2011, my Loonies for Laos project secured its fourth water filter!

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

Steve's Email

This afternoon I received an email from Steve Rutledge, who has just returned from Laos, which briefly encapsulates all the wonderful achievements which Adopt a Village in Laos has done this past year. Included in that list is mention of some local work done here in Toronto.

I am already looking forward to going back - I can safely say that we have helped over 2000 people now with schools, water, water filters, toilets or combination of those.

These are the accomplishments, but not in any particular order:

1. Small Ban Huephen (about 1 hr 15 minutes north of Luang Prabang) - I am just about finished running a new water source from 4-5 km away. This included a dam, a water tank, several km's of pipe and 5 water taps. The water has been directed to the taps, but still has to be redirected to the water tank once the concrete is cured (about another week). I also provided hygiene training and a water filter for every family in the village.

2. I had visited a wooden high school (23 rooms with 1300 students) several times and noted that there was structural failure pending!!! I went about 3 weeks ago and noticed the wooden support beams (termite damage) had shifted so I purchased new hand made lumber (due to size of the beams) and cemented a floor for two additional classrooms. The wood beams had been delivered and installation of the beams is expected over the next week or so.

3. Hygienic toilets in Pha Yong Village (2 1/2 hours by mini van, then 1 hour by boat, then 1.5 hours trek, north of LPB) - a sceptic tank is being installed with three toilets (the first of 12 banks to be built for the village) and a large sceptic field. I also put an addition on the school and provided the village of 84 families with 84 filters plus some for the school and toilets, along with hygiene training.

4. We provided funding for an additional school teacher for Pha Yong Village and received commitments that a second teacher would be supplied by the Department of Education to Had Chanh Village for next year.

5. We have also arranged for a hygienic toilets to be installed in Had Chanh Village school (about 1 hr boat ride north of Nong Khiaw). This project will start in another month or so. I also built a school there.

6. We provided funding for a fence around the Education Compound- almost complete.

7. I provided funding for a fence around the grounds of Pha Yong Village school - completed.

8. I and a number of friends provided blankets and mosquito nets for a new village of 300 families about 1 1/2 hours south of LPB along the Mekong River.

9. Provided water filters to another secondary school and the dormitories, plus two filters for a hospital without water (although I am raising money to put a new well for the hospital).

10. I have about 30 requests for funding next year.

11. I have made a lot of inroads with various levels of Government who are fully supportive of what I am trying to do. I have also lined up contractors and engineers for whatever gets approved for next year (based on the amount of money I can raise this summer).

12.  I have had a lot of press coverage from our local newspapers, plus associated press plus some magazines in Toronto (free newspaper). The next release is in the next edition of SNAP newspaper in Toronto, although I am told it is about 1/4 page. There have been a couple of events there already. I have been getting donations through a coffee shop around Church Street and Isabella. I have also been asked to work with a second local newspaper (they don't like the idea that I gave the other one the full scoop) and have been asked to do an interview on local TV as well.

13. I met a lot of wonderful foreigners who all want to donate or help us in some way. Possibly donors for three more schools and I am lining up at least 20 different presentations to community clubs between Toronto and Belleville. I have also been asked to consider presentations in Calgary and Vancouver, but I said I need at least 6 to make it worth my while (because I have to pay for the trips).

14. We still have to do a small project for Ladthahae village - the plumbing to the latrines. This is only a two day job, but it should be done over the next couple of weeks when my engineer is free.

I guess that is about it. But I just wanted you to know that my entire life has changed and I already can't wait to go back. We have already helped 2000 to 2 500 people live happier, healthier, longer lives.

Water Filters! Water Filters! Oh my!

Featured in the latest edition of My Journey to Laos newsletter, which exclusively focuses on the subject of water filters, this image reveals dozens of these units awaiting distribution in front of the schoolhouse in the village of Pha Yong. Located on the north side of Nam Ou River near the village of Muong Ngoi, which lies northeast of Luang Prabang, Pha Yong  was one of three villages to receive a portion of the 202 water filters distributed by Adopt a Village in Laos this past season.

On March 9, 2011, I received an email from my friend, Steve Rutledge, president of Adopt a Village in Laos, with an update about some of the projects for next season. One of them was, of course, for water filters. According to his estimates, he will likely need at least 500 water filters!

Since December 19, 2010, I have been collecting donations specifically for water filters. To date (March 18, 2011), I have secured at least 15 such donations. If Steve's estimates are accurate, that means we have only 485 units to go. I think we can manage that.