September, 2015—Everyone loves a celebration! Almost 190 students from Guindag-An Elementary School in the Philippines were all smiles during a Samaritan Filter turnover ceremony. They enjoyed games and presentations that taught them how to properly use the newly installed Samaritan Filter (which supplies all the safe water needed each day for as many as 225 students), latrines and a handwashing station.
In late 2013 Typhoon Haiyan devastated the municipality of Tanauan in Leyte, where Guindag-An Elementary School is located. More than 90 percent of Leyte’s schools were fully or partially damaged.
Samaritan’s Purse Canada has been using donations from Canadians like you to help communities recover stronger than before. One area of focus has been the recovery of schools where we address water, sanitation, and hygiene issues.
In Canada, we take for granted that our children go to schools that have safe water, and bathrooms that are convenient to use. Not only does Samaritan’s Purse install Samaritan Filters at schools without safe water, but we also rebuild or construct latrines, and provide convenient hand washing stations.
As well, we spend time in each school promoting hand washing and brushing teeth. The turnover ceremony is the icing on the cake for the hard work done by all.
Everyone should smile and laugh more often, just like these students, as they celebrate safe water for their school!
Many rural schools in Asia, Africa, and Latin America rely on contaminated water sources to meet students' daily needs. Thankfully, you can help change that through Samaritan Water Filters, which provide students with clean water for drinking, washing hands and faces, and even brushing teeth! These filters also have potential to help clinics care for sick patients and churches reach out to their communities.