October and Awareness Sucks
A quick update on our 2021 progress –
I made my first trip to India the last week of July and into the first part of August and saw many of our water projects which were carried out during the beginning of the year along with a handful of projects from 2020. Being back in India after an 18-month break became an eye-opening experience for me in that I realized how comfortable I had become staying home and doing my part to stay COVID free. I realized that by not traveling, I had become rigid, inward focused, and really sensitive towards others who might be encroaching on my space, after all we are in a pandemic. Naturally then, who wants to venture out and really see the plight of those living on the other side of the world? The adage that awareness sucks really does apply here, at least to me. Despite COVID and my internal feels and reservations from those close to me, I ventured out and made the trip to India, and as you might expect: awareness sucks. Now a fresh perspective exists on how spoiled I am and how the color of my skin gives me certain advantages over many when I’m moving around in India. So yes, the trip was a new, eye-opening experience for me and one which reminds me how much more work needs to be done, both in myslef and in India.
A difference has been made over these last 20 years of being involved in India, yet again, there’s so much more to do.
On my final day in Tamil Nadu, I traveled out into the interior and saw one of our larger projects which we completed early 2021. This project provided water for a home run by some Catholic Fathers who are working with physically and mentally handicapped people. Our project met the drinking water needs and also supplied enough water for them to cultivate a few acres of land so they could grow some vegetables which would be used as part of the daily meals and any excess to be sold at market as part of an income generating scheme.
I was impressed with their work with these people and felt it was right to hear their requests about a few other projects similar to what I had just taken up, but farther into the interior. I was told these place were really some distance and at least 2 days were needed for travel and observation of the work. I didn’t have that time to spare but I commissioned my partner to see the work and my decision would be based upon their assessment and recommendation.
My partnes did in fact make the trip out to the interior and of the 5 projects they saw, their recommendation is that 4 of them be taken up as soon as possible. Here are those projects –
#1. Provide water for a Higher Secondary School targeting the visually impaired for which they currently have 110 kids, and on the same property extend pipe to meet the water needs of buildings used to care for 52 mentally ill patients. The scope of the project requires a deep bore well with submersible pump along with necessary piping and connections for both facilities to have access to clean, safe water. The cost for this project at Amalarakini is $4,000.
#2. A livestock project which is income generating and benefits the Higher Secondary School and Home for the mentally disabled described above at Amalarakini. The infrastructure and the experience currently exists, it’s now time to scale it up so that more profitability can be had which will offset some of the operational expenses of running both programs. The project cost is $8,000 and will purchase 7 cows and 30 pigs.
#3. Provide water for a Higher Secondary School which has 300 kids who are boarded there and another 1,000 who attend, so total student population of 1,300. The school is facing water scarcity issues and has appealed to Wells for Life to provide a new deep bore well with a submersible pump motor and storage tanks to meet the current demand. The project cost for this Boy’s School in Susai Nagar is $4,000.
#4. Provide a deep bore well with a greater HP submersible pump motor to benefit a Higher Secondary School with 200 children and to irrigate a 10-acre field as part of an income generating project to help offset the school’s operating expenses. The cost for this project at Mullipatti is $5,000.
I appreciate the time and consideration given towards these immediate and worthwhile needs. I know there are multiple demands for your generosity and all I can do is present our need and ask that you consider meeting it. The rest is up to you.
To give towards any one of these needs or all of them, just click here – Donate Now and when you get to the section for Special Instructions, tell me which project number you want to give towards, and that’s where I’ll make sure your gift goes.
Thanks again for taking the time!
