Dear Friends,
I am writing to let you know about an exciting new opportunity for
each of us to help tens of thousands of people in India. We could start saving
lives and safeguarding people's futures in as little as four months from the
time we make a commitment.
Those of you who know me are aware that I am a strong advocate of the
Adopt-a-Village approach, where an individual undertakes to support development
in a village or community of his or her Choice.
For many of us who hail from rural India, the obvious choice is our
own village - depending upon ability and commitment, we may sponsor the
development and equitable distribution of amenities and services such as health
care, nutrition, sanitation, education and transportation.
I am strongly recommending one program that is particularly appealing
in its simplicity and in its effectiveness.
You may know that about 1.5 million children under five in India die
every year from water-borne diseases. But you may not know that, with a
relatively small investment, it is now possible to provide safe and affordable
drinking water in a sustainable manner, and to prevent most of those deaths!
The availability of pure drinking water will have a profound impact
on checking the spread of water-borne pathogens and drastically reduce
morbidity and mortality from preventable causes such as diarrhea, especially in
the very young and vulnerable.
The solution is an affordable, community-owned water purification
system (Community Safe Water Systems, or CSWS) that can provide potable water
for up to 20,000 people. It uses a low-tech, low-maintenance ultraviolet (UV)
system to remove 99.9 percent of pathogens. The system is robust and dependable
in harsh conditions.
CSWS is made available in India through a joint effort of the Naandi
Foundation in Hyderabad (www.naandi.org) and the US-based Water Health
International (WHI). Naandi Foundation, headed by Dr. K. Anji Reddy, Chairman
of Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., and governed by other prominent Indian
industrialists, is a Not-for-Profit organization that is involved in a number
of development initiatives in areas like Child Rights-School Education, School
Health, Livelihoods Programmes, Organic Farming, Federating Small &
Marginal Farmers, Mid-day Meal Programmes and Safe Drinking Water. It has
programmes and projects in various states in India ( Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra & Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka,
Nagaland and Andaman & Nicobar UT) and partners with leading Union
Government, State Government, National & International Bilateral Agencies,
Leading Foundations/Professional Associations in implementing these
programmes/projects. Naandi Foundation is professionally run, transparent, and
emphasizes efficient, accountable, and financially sustainable operations.
The cost of CSWS, after installation, is $50,000 to provide water for
up to 20,000 people, or $25,000 to provide water for 5,000 people. The bulk of
the money ($39,000) is paid for by commercial loans raised by Naandi and WHI.
The community is expected to contribute upto 2% of the investment ($1,000) to
ensure their buy-in. A donor then could contribute another ($10,000), thereby
'adopting the village' and ensuring the provision of safe water to the
community for a minimum of eight years. On average, a CSWS is ready to dispense
safe water in 120 days from receipt of donor contribution. Villagers buy water
at a nominal cost of one Rupee for 12 liters of Purified water.
The Donors may be individual philanthropists based in India or
abroad, elected representatives who have constituency development funds at
their disposal, local or global companies, or charitable organizations. Donors
are sent detailed periodic updates by email regarding the level of community
adoption of safe water in each of the villages where they have supported a
CSWS. They can also visit the site whenever they please. I personally am
involved in such a project to bring water to my village in AP.
The close coordination of Naandi and WHI ensures professional
standards of implementation, as well as water quality control, training and
support for continued operation. The involvement of and investment by village
governments ensures grassroots participation, which is a key component for
sustainable community projects.
I am sure you will agree that this is a worthwhile project to
consider sponsoring. Please contact Amit Jain (amit@naandi.net) of Naandi if
you would like to get involved and make an impact on the lives of thousands in
India. Or feel free to call me if you have questions.
Best regards,
Jagan Ailinani, MD
Past President, AAPI
Board member, AAPI Charitable Foundation
