For many living in the Province of Toliara, water is sourced from wells, delivered by water tankers or collected from puddles.
Quite obviously this water is not good for drinking, but nevertheless that is what the people have to drink, resulting in diarrhea and many illnesses.
According to the World Health Organization, a significant proportion of disease can be prevented through safe drinking-water, and adequate sanitation and hygiene. Contaminated water can transmit diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. Contaminated drinking water has also led to Madagascar having one of the highest rates of stunted growth for children under five, causing lasting physical and cognitive damage.
In 2024, the Diocese of Toliara began a trial program, providing donated water filters in Mahabo, in the north of the Diocese. The filters were given by members of the link parish, and were acquired through Hope 2 Others, part of Education Equals Hope which assists the Diocese with its child sponsorship program.
As well as filtering out soil particles, these filters protect against serious health conditions like cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.
The pilot program was a great success, with the people quickly learning to look after their filters properly and becoming healthier as a consequence of having clean water to drink. Since then the Diocese has been trialing these filters in many areas, with great results.
Each small filter is packed with tiny, hollow, perforated tubes. Harmful bacteria and microorganisms are simply too large to fit through the holes, so they remain inside the filter casing and are then removed by routine back-flushing. The filter uses gravity only and needs no electricity or batteries.
All filters are checked by a supervisor from the Diocese every quarter to ensure that they are being back-washed correctly and regularly.
The Diocese hopes to provide clean drinking water to many more individuals, families, schools and communities, but needs your help to fund the filters.
Each filter costs $50, and will last at least 3 years. It produces up to 250 gallons of clean water per day, so enough to provide drinking water for a number of families or a whole classroom of children.
If you would like to donate one or more filters, you can do so through Education Equals Hope . If you wish your filters to be given to a particular priest, evangelist, sponsored child or parish, please contact us through this form.
If you make a donation in honor of someone, you may download one of these gift cards to give to the recipient:
Honor card for Christmas gift – 1 page
Honor card for Christmas gift – folding