Notes from the Editor

 Water is a problem.  Especially in Afghanistan.  Despite the influx of large amounts of international aid into Afghanistan, getting access to any water, let alone clean water, remains a daily struggle for a large part of the country. The government says almost three quarters of the population do not have access to clean water.  Diarrheal diseases related to unclean water is the single largest killer of children in a country torn by war.

   As you read this, a delegation from WWFOR will be in Afghanistan attempting in a small way to help the people we have devastated with our war.  Doug and Jody Mackey from the Olympia FOR chapter and myself have been certified in a low-tech form of water treatment known as bio-sand water filters.   The biosand filter (BSF) is an adaptation of the traditional slow sand filter, which has been used for community drinking water treatment for almost 200 years. The filter container is filled with layers of specially selected and prepared sand and gravel. The sand layer is extremely effective in removing pathogens and suspended solids from contaminated drinking water.  Information about BSF is available at http://www.cawst.org/en/resources/biosand-filter.  

 We will be doing hygiene and water treatment training in Bamyan Province in association with the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers whom we have gotten to know through the Global Days of Listening project.  You can talk with these brave young people who ask “Why Not Love?” in the midst of war and with us about the project by joining the next Global Days of Listening.  Information about how you can join in the September 21conversation is found at GlobalDaysofListening.org.   We hope to share with these people the knowledge and skills to be able to continue to provide their own clean water long after we return home.

Leave a Reply