Water is Life Project: Biosand Filters for Indigenous Peoples
In January 2019, in northern Colombia, the foundation had a successful mission: EMPOWERING WAYUÚ. This mission was part of the reward system for Wayuu communities for participating in the Sacred Thread Foundation and fighting for a better future for families through their crafts.
Water Is Life is one of the projects implemented during this mission. This week, 42 biosand water filters were built and installed, and local leaders were trained to create and maintain them once installed. These biosand filters are made of cement and special sand that removes impurities and allows the water to be 98% pure. We raised €6,481, with a total of 145 beneficiaries and more than 50 people trained.
This project was made possible thanks to the sponsors: LEOGANT, Davita, Master Sha Tao Center Berlin, Atlantis Gothe, Anders Fardigh, Isabel Aponte, Lucy Smith, Thomas Berrue, Beate Grill, Clare Chater, Valentina Quijano R, Juan Montes, Marcela Arias, Geoff Fellows, Claudia Salazar, Kata Santana, Teresa Florian, Georg Eisele and the partners: RED Proyecto gente, Fundación Abury, Copoguajira and the Canadian Association for Participatory Development (CAPD).
Our goal with the Water Is Life project is to build and install these biofilters in every community in the region. Little by little, but surely, this dream is becoming a reality.
In September 2019, the Hilo Sagrado Foundation and its team will be in the community of Ciruelakat on their mission to provide social benefits such as access to water and education to more than 240 beneficiaries in the Wayuu indigenous communities. The filters will be built by the Los Cabritos community, who were beneficiaries of the January 2019 Water Is Life project mission, in which 42 filters of the same specifications were built. Our goal is to strengthen this knowledge network and build filters in other communities.
We've already raised 2,500 euros. Now our goal is to raise another 7,000 euros to cover:
- The construction of 50 biosand filters
- The installation of 62 biosand filters
- Transport of filters and materials to the area
- Basic team needs (lodging, food, transportation)
For more information about the crowdfunding campaign: