The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge
What else have we done with your money?
We have purchased two trucks, together with tanks and pumps, for use as a water bowsers to take water to outlying villages in the tsunami affected parts of Sumatra, Indonesia, who are still desperately in need of clean water. Why, read the letter below!
Banda Aceh - Indonesia
An extract from a letter from Mike Griffiths of the Leuser International Foundation (LIF) in Banda Aceh
As you are aware the Leuser International Foundation (LIF), of which I am a director, has been active in the distribution of Aqua Boxes provided by Rotary to help in the relief and recovery of Aceh and Nias since the two disasters hit those areas in recent months. The provision of this simple but very effective aid has been well received by a large number of local communities that were left destitute by the successive disasters. Both the communities and the LIF are very grateful to Rotary for this practical assistance.
Recently Philip Chubb who has been our contact person in the UK with regard to the the Aqua Box aid, informed us that you might be able to facilitate the transport of these boxes as well as much needed additional fresh water and emergency supplies to more remote villages, through the provision of two trucks.
The LIF purchased a truck itself very soon after the Tsunami and its effectiveness was beyond even our own expectations. It has mainly been involved in getting fresh (potable) water to villages in the vicinity of Banda Aceh ( we use collapsible rubber water tanks and a simple pump to transport and offload the water). As you could expect the roads have been in an appalling state and these have taken a toll on the truck, but with good maintenance it keeps providing the service for which it was purchased. Many villagers further away have seen our work and have asked for a similar service. But we have been unable to satisfy their needs because of lack of financial resources. So if you have some ideas about how this need can be met then you would find great support and appreciation from the many people who would like to return to their villages but cannot do so on account of lack of significant supplies of water.
