“I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink.”

With the funding and guidance of Aktion Wasserbüffel [read about AWB here], Asaffi put potable water within reach of residents in Brgy Estado in Victorias City, a remote rural area given to farming, mostly in sugarcane, rice, and vegetables.

Previously, potable water was literally out of reach, physically and financially, for residents. It had to be delivered from another town, at a higher cost.

Households in Brgy Estado would spend ₱420 to ₱630 monthly for potable water delivered to them. In the local public schools (elementary and high school), the teachers would buy one container of drinking water for their classroom, and some school children bring their own drinking water.

The water project, turned over last June 30 this year, utilizes solar power to bring water up from 100–300 ft deep and passes it through three stages of filtration. Water is then distributed directly to the two schools, church, barangay hall, and the water station for the community.

Local households can purchase water for the token price of ₱17 per 5-gallon (20 liters) container. This amount will be used in the maintenance of the water system.

To implement the project, Asaffi reached out to CAJDEN (Christian Advocates for Justice and Development in Negros), a faith based non-government organization (NGO), represented by Fr. Christopher Entrata.

CAJDEN supervised the construction of the water system, and oversees the Project Management Team (PMT) that is responsible for the day-to-day supervision and maintenance of the system, which includes water testing and cleaning of the water filter.

A WASH Program (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) is also being implemented by CAJDEN, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the local barangay Health Center. It involves educating children on proper hand washing and sanitation, proper waste management and disposal, and regular hygiene habits.

CARABAOS FOR LIVELIHOOD SSVP SWINE RAISING TULUNGHAAN SA DALAN