Recently Elk Rapids Rotarian Bill Donberg returned from Honduras where he visited schools, rural homes and medical clinics.  
 
 
Bill: We had a dinner with the President of the Donli Rotary Club which has worked with Pure Water for the World (PWW) for years. Here is a note and pictures depicting the impact our programs are having in Haiti and Honduras.
 
Let me know when you are ready to make the trip. You'll never be the same!
 
 
Healthy/Hopeful Honduran Families Thanks to Elk Rapids Rotary Support of Pure Water for the World
 - by Bill Donberg
 
I just returned from a Pure Water for the World (PWW) trip to Honduras. We had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact we are having thanks to support over the years of the Elk Rapids Rotary.  Nueva Esperanza de Capire, similar to the communities we’ve visited in Haiti, is a remote community located in the Trojes region of Honduras. It is a very mountainous, rural community that takes upwards of 2.5 hours of travel time to access from PWW's office located in the main town of Trojes. Water sources are abundant in the community, however, water quality analysis results showed the local water is highly contaminated with pathogens. With agriculture as the primary source of income for these families, livestock have greatly contributed to the water contamination due to poor environmental practices. All 60 families living in the community had access only to this contaminated water. Because of this, members of the community regularly suffered from hepatitis, giardia, and other waterborne illnesses; some even died.
 
Community members from Nueva Esperanza de Capire reached out to Pure Water for the World in 2015 requesting support with their water and sanitation challenges. They were added to the list of communities in high need of WASH support.
 
In 2020, PWW was finally able to share great news with community members in Nueva Esperanza de Capire. Thanks to generous funding from many. PWW would be coming to begin their safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene education project that would reach all 290 residents. The community members were overjoyed, as this meant their greatest wishes would be granted.
 
Today, these families celebrate their new lives. They have reliable access to safe water. They know how to keep their water sources cleaner. They have improved sanitation at their homes. And the school has safe water and sanitation. All in the community have received layers of education, empowering them with the knowledge to use their tools and hygiene practices to protect their health and the health of their community. Life is different. The future holds new hope and opportunity.