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Emergency aid organisations can choose from increasing number of waterpurifiers
Water4Life in magizine H2O nr 6-2010
March 2010
Unfortunately the newsletter is only available in dutch.
To read the full article click this link or the picture left.
Report feasibility study Zambia 2009
November 2009
To read about the project and the full report click here or the picture to the right.
Donation to charities during 'Preuvenemint 2009'
November 2009
The 'Struyscommittee' has finished the twentyeight' 'Preuvenemint' event. Like every year part of the revenues is donated to charities.
The committee was allowed to use the Museum in the Spanish Government building at the Vrijthof square. This beautiful historic setting perfectly fits
the theme of 2009: Nostalgic dining.
Representatives of many foundations and associations have gathered to receive the cheque. Hereby the Struyscommittee thankfully rewards the dedication
of the large number of idealistic volunteers for their projects.
In his opening speech the chairman Peter Rondagh proudly mentions that the revenues despite of economic recession is again almost 1½ million euro of which
142.000 euro is donated to the charities. Then it is time for the donation by the generous treasurer Wil Cohen and a picture.
... Water4Life is active in the area of water purification in Uganda. This financial aid is welcomed to produce water purifiers...
Newsletter from our partner foundation Aman-Iman
September 2009
Unfortunately the newsletter is only available in dutch.
To read the newsletter click this link or the logo on the left.
To read the french manual of the water4life purifier click this link
Nursing students write manual development work
March 2009
Unfortunately the newsletter is only available in dutch.
To read the full article click this link or the picture left.
Emergency aid organisations can choose from increasing number of waterpurifiers
Water4Life in magizine H2O nr 6-2009
March 2009
Unfortunately the newsletter is only available in dutch.
To read the full article click this link or the picture left.
Water4Life in DSM news edition Q1-2009
februari 2009
Unfortunately the newsletter is only available in dutch.
To read the full article click this link or the picture left.
Water4Life in DSM news edition Q2-2008
june 2008
To read this article click this link or the picture to the left.
Water4Life in Development matters editie maart-2008
maart 2008
To read this article click this link or the picture to the left, from page 22.
Water4Life in Chemisch Weekblad - Translated text
March 15, 2008
From straw to water purifier
Put two metal buckets on top of each other with a filter in between and each hour one gets 2 litres of clean water. In short this is the latest
water purifier from the inventors of DSM which is distributed in India.
At the end of last year the ten thousanth water purifier is distributed in India: a filter that removes pathogens from the water on a household scale.
It is a result of the Dream Action which DSM started at the 100th anniversary in 2002. DSM at that time challenged its employees to use their knowledge
for a better world. The latest water purifier, an idea of the membrane specialists Alex Vrinzen and Paul Vergossen, filters surface water from lakes
and rivers through a filter of diatomaceous earth (silica / Silicon dioxide) which is impregnated with silver. The submicron pores of this filter in
combination with the silver, which is known to kill bacteria, removes up to 99,99 percent of all bacteria.
Straw
Vrinzen:
"Our original idea was a straw which at the end was provided with a microfiltration membrane. The straw is then put in the water and one sucks
on the oposite ende: water goes through the membrande and pathogens remain behind. Novib however indicated that people in thirld world countries are
not interested in such a personal straw. Ill children, the most important target group, are often incapable of creating the required suction force, or
will suck from the wrong side, which will bring them in direct contact with the pathogens catched at the previous instance of use. With the idea 'If you
want to really make an impact, think of something on a household level' in the back of the mind, we continued developing." This lead to the present
water purifier: two metal buckets on top of each other, separated by the mentioned impregnated filter. Gravity is the moving force, by which 2 litres of
clean water is received. Vrinzen: "The water even tastes better if the filter is combined with active carbon."
Acceptance
Though the technology was simple, the most difficult part was yet to come: how can we get the population accept such an appliance? Vrinzen: "
Therefore we worked along with the Indian NGO DHAN Foundation. Additionally we received because of the tsunami in 2004 additional funding from DSM,
both company as well as employees, and the province of Limburg. Because of this we were able to distribute and test several types of water purifiers
amongst the Indian population. The results were quite surprising actually. People indicated that they prefer metal, just like their cookware in the kitchen,
over plastic of which our first prototype was made." In poor Indian households sand is used as a cleaning agent and plastic will not have a long life then.
A water purifier that uses an 'air pump' to force water through the filter appeared not to be liked as well: the higher output of clean water did not
compensate for the tiresome usage and maintenace of the appliance.
Education
The approach to train some people in the Indian villages about the importance and the methods of use of the appliance appeared to work out well. "
These people feel responsible and important and act as a spokesperson to turn to in case of any problems that may occur with the appliance. This creates
effective use. For this 'training of trainers' our volunteers Kasper Jansen and Agnes benedictus play a pivottal role, not in the least place because they
have taken a sabbatical leave to help the people in India.." says Vrinzen. To produce the purifier against low costs and in a sustainable manner the
appliances are made in India: employment creation and safe drinking water in one local closed loop. "By involving Harry van Lier, expert in wastewater
technology at DSM, the project has speed up. Last year, DSM has handed over the water purifier project to the foundation Water4Life, of which I am the president.
The challenge for the next period is to interest other companies for the water purifier. We go on to the next ten thousand pieces."
Water4Life in DSM News magazine
January 24, 2008
Water4Life foundation helps tsunami-victims
10.000th water purifier!
During the Dream Action, launched by DSM in 2002 on the occasion of its 100th birthday, DSM employees were challenged to use their
knowledge to create a better world. The price winning idea was a straw that removes harmful bacteria from water. That dream became reality in
the Water4Life project in which the straw has finally evolved into a water purifier for the poor family.
Thanks to this smart invention, the Water4Life project could be set up. In the wake of the tsunami disaster, additional funds were made
available by DSM and the province of Limburg, each donating 250,000 euro and by DSM employees, giving 68,000 euro. By the end of 2007, the
10,000th water filter was produced and distributed in one of the 92 tsunami affected villages. It is expected that 20,000th water purifier
will be placed before the end of 2008.
Purifying household drinking water
The first idea of the inventors Alex Vrinzen and Paul Vergossen, 'membrane specialists' at DSM, was a
straw functioning as a filter. This idea not only appeared to be very expensive, the production costs amount to 500 euro per cubic meter of
water, but also full of risks during usage. The straw could accidentally be turned the wrong way, thus still infecting the user. To really make
a difference for third world countries, the idea needed to be adapted to household level. Simple, cheap, safe to use, sustainable and easy to
maintain. The water purifier evolved: a metal bucket with two ceramic filter candles inside providing 2 litres of safe drinking water per hour with
the help of gravity. The safe drinking water is collected in a separate reservoir mounted underneath the top bucket. In addition, due to the filter
candles impregnated with silver, any unwanted micro-organisms which have not been retained by the ceramic filter almost have no chance of
contaminating the water. The water purifier removes 99.99 percent of all undesired micro-organisms.
Acceptance and education
As so many good ideas, this invention is brilliant because of its simplicity. However, in order to make the inhabitants accept
this clever technique, more was needed. The program was carefully organized with the help of the DHAN foundation. Alex Vrinzen: "We first conducted a
'satisfaction survey' amongst the local population of India, in a region that is not only very poor but was also hit by the tsunami in 2004. These people
have tested several models of water purifiers as critical consumers. The results were carefully analyzed and monitored. One of the purifier types was a
'pressure model', equipped with manual pumps assuring more litters of safe drinking water in a shorter period of time. This model turned out to be too
complex to use and maintain for the users. If part of the filter broke, the purifier was no longer used. The 'gravity model' was much more appreciated by
the community. From the field tests it also became clear that metal was preferred over plastic, of which the first prototypes were made. In poor Indian
households, sand is used as a cleaning agent in stead of safe but scarce clean water. Thus, a water purifier made out of plastic will not have a long
life. Harry van Lier, expert in waste water technology at DSM, has a wide network in India. The project accelerated when he was asked to joint the
Water4Life foundation.
Effective use
Education and good training is an essential part of the Water4Life activities. Uneducated people must learn to understand why they have to
do or use certain things. Explanation in their own language, visually supported by pictures about the technical functioning of the appliance, but
also about the basic principles of hygiene and toilet use, is necessary to make a program such as Water4Life successful. Therefore, it is fantastic
that Water4Life was able to get the help of two volunteers, Kasper Jansen and Agnes Benedictus, who are locally active since mid 2007 for Water4Life
in Madurai, India. Kasper and Agnes quit their jobs in the Netherlands to be able to help the poorest of the poor to get access to safe drinking
water and thereby drastically reducing the childhood mortality. They instruct selected people from over ninety Indian villages about the use of the
water purifier. The acquired knowledge is transferred by the trainees to their fellow villagers. This way, more than 90% of the water purifiers is
actually used.
Knowledge transfer
The use of the water purifiers also has a positive economical effect in the regions where they are installed. They are locally
produced with local materials, thus creating employment. The DHAN foundation guides the poor steel workshops in Madurai in developing their own
water purifier while the Water4Life foundation assures the quality level. This way, a formula is created which eventually enables the local
entrepreneurs to produce (and sell) their own water purifiers. Alex Vrinzen regularly flew to India to guide the project. "We want the Water4Life
project to succeed. And then I mean succeed down to the smallest detail", he says. "Our colleagues of the DSM site at Toansa, India are also
involved in this activity. The help and dedication of our Indian colleagues Vikram Sharma and Babita Nanchahal have contributed to the fact that the
tsunami project could be realized in a very short period of time."
Expanding activities
The Water4Life foundation is willingly available to share experiences and knowledge gained during the project with other
interested parties. The local employees are recording all processes in logbooks and on film for an eventual follow up by or with other (aid)
organizations. With a view to new projects, contacts have already been established with organizations active in China, Indonesia and Ethiopia. In the
past few years, great work has been achieved and a good foundation has been created for a sustainable program that really helps people. The Water4Life
team will now focus on expanding its activities. Alex: "We would be honoured if other companies or foundations would adopt our work and would
surprise us with good results in the future!"
Water4Life distributes 10 thousandth water purifier in Tsunami area
January 29, 2008
On January 29th 2008 a delegation of Water4Life and DSM anti infectives India has handed over the 10 thousandth water purifier to one of the victims
of the tsunami disaster in December 2004. In the wake of the tsunami disaster, additional funds were made
available by DSM and the province of Limburg, each donating 250,000 euro and by DSM employees, giving 68,000 euro. All donated to provide the victims
with safe drinking water.
Still now, 3 years after the disaster, there is great need for safe drinking water. The water sources are often still contaminated and some water sources
revealed to be permanently not usable.
We made use of the gravity water purifier concept in the tsunami affected area. After several tests this concept appeared to be the best technology for
the inhabitants of the affected areas.
The purifiers have been distributed amongst members of the self help groups of Dhan Foundation, throughout the tsunami affected areas. These members of
SHG's have an income below approximately 2 euros per day.
Preceding the hand over, several training sessions were executed in various villages. In these training sessions the importance of using the water purifier
was explained and also attention was given to simple but effective hygienical measures like washing hands and use of toilets. By means of these trainings
and tests a minimum of 70% of the purifiers will be used on the long run. The final goal is to reduce the child death below the age of 5 because of diahroea.
The 10 thousandth filter was handed over by the regional governmental officer of fisheries in the presence of Water4Life volunteers, Vikram Sharma, Agnes
Benedictus, Kasper Jansen and DHAN team leader Bharathi. By handing over this 10 thousandth purifier and end has come to the tsunami project of Water4Life.
Water4Life will continue to be active in south Indian region to place more water purifiers with the local population, in close cooperation with DHAN Foundation.
Presentation of pressure water filter to the deputy of the province of Limburg
December 23, 2005
DSM and the province of Limburg have financially supported the Water4Life project for the occasion of the Tsunami in 2004. On December 23rd 2005
Paul Fuchs (secretary of the DSM Board of management) presented the first, in India, locally produced water purifier to Mr. Martin Eurlings.
Those present:
Province:
- Martin Eurlings
- Cecely Loontjes
- Rob van Widdershoven
DSM:
- Paul Fuchs (secretary Board of management)
- Mantijn van Leeuwen (former project leader dream project Water4Life)
- Paul Vergossen (Inventor dreamproject Water4Life)
- Alex Vrinzen (Inventor dreomproject Water4Life)
- Nelleke Barning (Advicer Communication DSM)
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