Safe Water for Nepal | An Investment in Their Future
June 10, 2015
In the November 2014 issue of Forbes Magazine, Nepal was listed as one of "the 10 Coolest Places to Visit in 2015." With eight of the world's tallest peaks, including Mount Everest, the Earth's highest mountain, Nepal is widely known for attracting mountain climbers, adventure seekers and ever golfers. The official Nepal tourism slogan, "Once Is Not Enough," speaks to the fact that those who have had the opportunity to visit Nepal inevitably want to return.
This slogan holds true for Water Missions engineer Tim Darms and supporter Jordan Romero - two individuals with very different stories, but who are both determined to help ensure a healthy future for the Nepali people.
Tim Darms spent time working for a NGO in Nepal prior to joining Water Missions as a project engineer. Within days of the first earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, Tim boarded a plan for Kathmandu and has spent the past month assessing and installing safe water systems.
Jordan Romero holds the record for being the youngest climber to summit Nepal's Mt. Everest at age 13. This month is the fifth anniversary of his climb and Jordan is leading a campaign to raise $100,000 to bring safe water to the people of Nepal.
Both Darms and Romero are making a difference in what will be a long-term response on the part of Water Missions International.
Nepal is rich in water resources, but following the earthquake, water sources have been contaminated or even eliminated in some places with landslides covering of damaging existing springs and piped networks. All of the water sources in Nepal tested by Water Missions have contained E. coli, which causes waterborne illnesses.
When Canadian Medical Action Team (CMAT) encountered a community named Keura with widespread cases of bloody diarrhea, they reached out to Water Missions to provide a safe water solution. Other communities needing safe water have been identified through WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Cluster meetings held on the ground in Nepal. It was there that Water Missions was introduced to Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). MAF has set up a helicopter logistics support to help relief workers and equipment reach those in need. Logistics in Nepal continue to provide the greatest challenges because many of the communities are in remote areas and the mountain roads are very dangerous.
As the monsoon season approaches, landslides pose a huge risk. Seth Womble, VP of Operations, described one such situation from the ground in Nepal:
"We were traveling back from Dhading when a thunderstorm came up out of nowhere... wind rips around the mountains and valleys! I honestly thought there was a tornado. We did not know what was safer, hold our spot on the road at the bottom of the valley and risk being hit or trapped in the valley by a landslide or to get off the mountain road as fast as possible. We chose to get out as fast as possible. Land slides happened quickly, power lines were falling and the temporary shelter tarps were flying everywhere. PRAY for the people of Nepal... I feel the worst is yet to come."During monsoon season more people could be forced from their communities to emergency settlements, such as the one located at the Royal Nepal Golf Course. The course, located close to the main road into Kathmandu, is currently home to 1500 people living in tents and under tarpaulins. The irrigation well at the golf course is being used to supply raw water which is being treated by a Living Water™ Treatment Systems (LWTS™). To date, Water Missions has installed safe water systems in three such emergency settlements, a hospital and two communities. The type of equipment used in each varies based on the project design, created in conjunction with engineers located in the U.S. and Indonesia, who are collaborating with staff in Nepal.
"For a country that is less than 2% Christian, everywhere we turn we see the local body of Christ coming together responding to help their own people." - Seth Womble, VP of OperationsThe work of "building back better" is really just starting in Nepal. Water Missions has assessed ten additional communities and ten more project assessments have been requested. Each project is designed with the goal of providing a sustainable, long-term solution. As other relief agencies consider whether their work in Nepal may be coming to an end, Water Missions knows that the relationship with the people of Nepal is just beginning. Join us in bringing sustainable safe water solutions to Nepal by visiting watermissions.org/nepal.
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