Local humanitarian organisation Abundant Water received much-needed financial assistance from ACTEW last week, as the two joined forces. The organisation has been using its unique water filter technology to help villages in Laos access clean water.
The project came about when Canberra engineer Sunny Forsyth was working in the country in 2007 and became aware of the need for fresh water in its remote villages. He began developing filters made from clay and dried coffee grounds after establishing relationships with the locals. He found a potter and a translator and began testing each batch of clay pots.
Three years on, the filters are now being introduced to households in villages by trained educators. The organisation works in and with the community to ensure an understanding of why water filtration is important in people’s health, and the methods used to make the filters are based on traditional potting techniques. Mr Forsyth is currently in Laos overseeing the compound, before he returns to Australia at the end of the year.
His father, Stuart, said his son had drained his own funds and the support from ACTEW was vital to keep the project running. “It’s a huge help,” he said. “It’s providing half of the required actual funding and it’s taken a lot of pressure off.” Mr Forsyth said at the end of last year the organisation had a target of 8 villages it wanted to introduce the filters to.
The pots are now being used in 7 villages and another 10 are waiting for the product.”It’s twice what we had actually planned,” Mr Forsyth said. The technology is now advanced enough to 36 litres litres of clean, fresh water every day. Mr Forsyth said the success of the project so far was due to the relationships formed with the locals.
“This was all about respecting the people already there,” Mr Forsyth said. “It’s about developing confidence and respect that will endure. Then the reliance on outside help becomes less. “I’d like to see the Lao organisations progressively take up the ownership of the project. “The Lao people are actually dealing with the issue and will become a model for other developing countries.”
Abundant Water has now been approached by a number of of similar organisations to replicate the program in Africa, South-East Africa and East Timor.
“As the progress becomes evident, it’s difficult not to get excited,” Mr Forsyth said.
Abundant Water ABN 74 867 217 898 in partnership with Global Development Group