Rainforest Flow Brings Clean Water to Peruvian Rainforest
Shea McLaughlin Lifesource Water Systems is a believer that everyone deserves, good, clean and healthy water. They have been a major sponsor and contributor to the movement since 2008, and continue to make contributions to help Rainforest Flow grow their outreach.
Rainforest Flow is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with a mission to provide water sanitization and health education to indigenous rainforest cultures in the Peruvian Amazon. Since the people live in concentrated settlements, their rustic sanitation conditions contaminate the streams and rivers where they gather their water.
With a safe water community based program, Rainforest Flow introduced ecofriendly, slow sand filtration systems to these remote Amazon communities. These all natural filtration systems remove 99.9% of bacteria from the available water supply, and have been used successfully for over 200 years in other parts of the world. The slow sand water filtration systems are low-tech, and are built by the communities that they serve. They provide sanitization without contaminating the environment while maintaining the preservation of the rainforest.
Once B.J. Wright, the former president and owner of Lifesource Water Systems discovered Nancy’s vision and mission to provide clean water to those in need, he immediately jumped on board. His philosophy was to provide the resources needed to the people in southeastern Peru, and to empower them to sustain the water systems without disrupting their culture.
Currently there are three projects taking place in Peru; in the villages of Huacarcia, Tayakome and Yomybato. A fourth is getting set to launch in March of 2017.
When asked what has been the most significant change in these indigenous communities since they received clean water, Santullo proudly reflects:
Due to multiple failed attempts by the government to provide safe water conditions to remote villages, the indigenous people of Peru’s amazon were initially distrustful of the process. However, once the faucets were flowing with clean, sustainable water, the mistrust was washed away.
In the pilot community of Huacaria, the most dangerous intestinal parasites have decreased by 94% in children under the age of 15. The safe drinking water program is accompanied by other clean water programs including sanitation, health and hygiene education, training community leaders and global teaching and learning. The people of Huacaria have maintained their water and sanitation system over the past twelve years. The water flows safely throughout the village, the bathrooms are clean and daily hygiene practices continue to be a part of everyday life.
All of these programs are made possible thanks to the most basic human element; water. To donate or learn more about Rainforest Flow, visit RainForestFlow.org, or find them on Facebook and Twitter.