The Water Problem in Ranquitte

There was only one way to be sure that the water I drank was clean, and that was to boil it myself.  It would be good advice to give everyone were it logistically possible.  Many of Haiti's problems are exacerbated by rampant deforestation, and encouraging people to boil water would not only cost them money, but trees as well.  One of Haiti's most over utilized industries is the making of charbon, which is charcoal created by cutting live trees and smoking them under layers of dirt and other organic matter.  This process evaporates moisture within living wood and increases the potential for burning.  For many families, profits from creating and selling charbon is the only possible source of income.  Most people cannot afford to buy a gas-powered stove, and charbon further depletes the landscape of its natural resources.  Therefore, asking people to boil their water is not a technologically or economically feasible suggestion.  As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I worked with the community to find appropriate solutions to the problem.

Ranquitte has a problem accessing clean water.  The water problem is the most immediate threat to the townspeople's health, and was my most pressing issue as a health volunteer.  There were several water solutions I worked on while I was there, and now I've returned to Ranquitte to resume the project with the most potential for postive impact.  The project I continue to work on is bringing water filters into the homes of Haitian peasant families, and is a cost-effective and sustainable solution to the problem of poor water quality.  Please click on the above link to find out more about Bio-Sand Filters and the Bio-Sand Filter project in Ranquitte.