Contribution to Safe Drinking Water

We are blessed in the sense that we have clean water to drink wherever we go in Malaysia or in any other major cities in the world. We can turn on the tap anytime, boil the tap water and there you go, you have safe drinking water.

There are people (those who could afford of course) who have installed water purifiers, water filters, reverse osmosis or water treatment system to ensure that the water they consume is even cleaner than before. I would say in Malaysia itself lots of people that I know of would have some sort of equipment to obtain safe drinking water.

Unfortunately, there are also people on some parts of the world who don't have drinking water within their residential area. They may have to walk miles/kilometres just to bring back some water for drinking. That water may not be clean.

Waterborne diseases in such areas are so rampant that the young ones die from the diseases. About six thousand people die from such unfortunate situation, most of whom are children.

Recently I have read about a small gadget which could help save many lives due to this waterborne disease or to overcome the shortage of safe drinking water.

There is this private company by the name of Vestergaard Frandsen that produces a 10-inch plastic cylinder that filters the bacteria, parasites and some viruses at a cost of less than US$3/-.

The product is named LifeStraw®. LifeStraw comes in two packages, LifeStraw® Personal and LifeStraw® Family.

This LifeStraw could be used on the spot itself. It's an invention that safeguards lots of people from any waterborne disease especially those faraway from any tap water or clean water. Its lifespan is about 700 litres of water (if saline water, it's limited to 350 litres).

Important facts to know:-
* LifeStraw Personal has been referred to as 'One of the Ten Things that will Change the Way We Live' by Forbes Magazine.

* LifeStraw Family delivers water as per EPA guidelines for microbiological water purifiers.

* February 2008, LifeStraw Personal receives the Saatchi & Saatchi Award for World Changing Ideas in New York.

Today, you can play a part in this life saving tool by donating a small amount of money. Following organisations have organised and will distribute the tools on your behalf to places where most required:-

*World Outreach International seeing it as a beneficial tool has organised a donation campaign to purchase this tool for people who need it

*IMA World Health

*Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (for US$ dollar donations)

*Rotary Club of Menorca, Spain (for International currency contribution)

*Rotary Club of Brynmawr, UK
Tags: LifeStraw, Water Purifier, Clean Water, Vestergaard Frandsen, Waterborne Disease, Unsafe Drinking Water, World Outreach International