So far in 2009...
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Thirst-Aid has completed the Factory in Pathien in partnership with Norwegian Peoples Aid. (This brings the total number of Thirst-Aid sponsored CWF factories in Myanmar to 5!)
Thirst-Aid has completed the Factory in Pathien in partnership with Norwegian Peoples Aid. (This brings the total number of Thirst-Aid sponsored CWF factories in Myanmar to 5!)•Myint Soe of the Pathien Factory successfully completed the first order of 1500 filters to French Red Cross.
Myint Soe of the Pathien Factory successfully completed the first order of 1500 filters to French Red Cross. •Khin Sein Linn of Zawgyi filters in Twante is completing their order of 10,000 filters for World Vision.
Khin Sein Linn of Zawgyi filters in Twante is completing their order of 10,000 filters for World Vision.•San Lin started a filter factory in Twante with his own funding with tutoring from Khin Sein Linn and Thirst-Aid. (The private sector is seeing the benefits of CWFs!)
San Lin started a filter factory in Twante with his own funding with tutoring from Khin Sein Linn and Thirst-Aid. (The private sector is seeing the benefits of CWFs!)•San Lin and Myint Soe are beginning to sell filters in the market.
San Lin and Myint Soe are beginning to sell filters in the market. •Thirst-Aid is partnering with the Department of Cottage Industries to establish retail sales of CWF's in 235 township level outlets. (Increasing individual CWF sales to middle class citizens is an important step in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goal. NGOs help subsidize the cost of filters for the poorest of the poor but a private market must be established to meet the needs of those who CAN afford a filter.)
Thirst-Aid is partnering with the Department of Cottage Industries to establish retail sales of CWF's in 235 township level outlets. (Increasing individual CWF sales to middle class citizens is an important step in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goal. NGOs help subsidize the cost of filters for the poorest of the poor but a private market must be established to meet the needs of those who CAN afford a filter.)•A group of Myanmar engineers have begun a filter factory in Yangon called Clean Water Group. (Another private sector group!)
A group of Myanmar engineers have begun a filter factory in Yangon called Clean Water Group. (Another private sector group!)Thirst-Aid is giving technical assistance.
•Thirst-Aid is working in partnership with the Department of Cottage Industries to begin a factory with the Women's Pottery Cooperative of Sagaing.
Thirst-Aid is working in partnership with the Department of Cottage Industries to begin a factory with the Women's Pottery Cooperative of Sagaing. •Thirst-Aid has trained an inspection team to monitor quality at all of the factories. The team also does pre-shipping inspections for INGOs purchasing filters.
Thirst-Aid has trained an inspection team to monitor quality at all of the factories. The team also does pre-shipping inspections for INGOs purchasing filters.•Thirst-Aid is developing a certification system for factories, filters and a system to authorize retailers. We want to assure consumers, both in the NGO field and the private sector that every filter being put into use is in fact producing clean, safe water. This simple step will help ensure a viable and sustainable market for this simple life saving technology.
Thirst-Aid is developing a certification system for factories, filters and a system to authorize retailers. We want to assure consumers, both in the NGO field and the private sector that every filter being put into use is in fact producing clean, safe water. This simple step will help ensure a viable and sustainable market for this simple life saving technology.•Thirst-Aid is developing a supply system for colloidal silver in country.
Thirst-Aid is developing a supply system for colloidal silver in country.•The Thirst-Aid education team has trained over 200 health educators in villages in partnership with UNICEF, World Vision, French Red Cross, Merlin, World Concern, Help Age, Action Contra Faim, Community Development Association, Grand Lotus, Tour Mandalay, Foundation for the People of Burma
The Thirst-Aid education team has trained over 200 health educators in villages in partnership with UNICEF, World Vision, French Red Cross, Merlin, World Concern, Help Age, Action Contra Faim, Community Development Association, Grand Lotus, Tour Mandalay, Foundation for the People of Burma•Thirst-Aid is developing a country-scale marketing campaign to encourage filter sales in the private market.
Thirst-Aid is developing a country-scale marketing campaign to encourage filter sales in the private market. •Thirst-Aid USA is presenting at an International Conference on Ceramic Water Filters in Atlanta on February 28th to encourage the use of round bottom filters and arch topped kilns in the field.
Thirst-Aid USA is presenting at an International Conference on Ceramic Water Filters in Atlanta on February 28th to encourage the use of round bottom filters and arch topped kilns in the field. We hope to learn about other recent innovations in the field while we are there!
What's New:
Thirst-Aid Spring 2009 Update:
Hello everyone!
It’s been a while since I’ve written and a lot has been happening!
First – Curt and Cathy have recently hired Khine, a Myanmar national, to be the TAM (Thirst-Aid Myanmar) Country Director!
Khine is a Myanmar citizen and speaks English, Burmese, and French fluently and has working knowledge of Thai, Japanese, and Spanish. She has ample experience in marketing as well as extensive knowledge of the Burmese culture and government. She is excited to put her talents and connections to use on behalf of Thirst-Aid and our goal of creating a successful country scale safe-water program!
She’s already begun working with Thirst-Aid part-time and will take over full-time in June, allowing CnC to make a brief trip back to the USA in July!
Meanwhile, Thirst-Aid Myanmar continues to expand! With support from our US partner Asia Transpacific Foundation, CnC have traveled north to Mandalay to help begin a new filter factory with a woman’s cooperative of traditional potters. This group of women have been working collectively to produce ceramic water pots for over 125 years with each household producing pots independently but joining together to buy fuel for firings and to meet the quantity demand of large pottery brokers. As they’re only able to produce their pots in the 5 months of dry season this income barely keeps them above absolute poverty. Thirst-Aid is hoping that ceramic water filters will not only give them an additional 7 months of income but will also help to teach them some new and useful firing techniques. Pictures and stories relating to this woman’s group and factory will be posted on our website soon!
Interesting times are afoot in Myanmar, as we push to take our program country-scale, Myanmar is advertising Woodstock2 featuring Myanmar musicians! CnC were recently treated to a bluegrass concert in Yangon, courtesy of the US State Department. As Bob Dylan said, “The times, they are a changin’”.
Thirst-Aid is changing with them. As there have been three new ceramic water filter factories started by independent producers it is becoming apparent that a tipping point has been reached for CWF production. Gratefully, we will be easing ourselves out of factory building and into quality assurance and social marketing of filters to ensure that long after Thirst-Aid leaves Myanmar there will continue to be a sustainable source of safe-water technologies and market demand to keep it flowing!
