Making a Difference in Mumbai, India

From: lisa perrine <lisaperrine hotmail.com>

Date: Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Subject: Making a Difference in Mumbai, India

Hello,

I am writing on behalf of my husband Gary. He is taking on a very interesting and life saving project for families that face extreme poverty based on his experience so far here in Mumbai. I am really inspired by his efforts to make a difference here in Bombay. Please read his email below.

Thank you for all your love and support,

Lisa

Dear Family and Friends,

Hopefully you'll forgive me because I'm about to ask you to write a check – something that none of us takes lightly. I promise to not make a habit of this and I'd prefer to have you feel good about writing this check because you are making a difference. I also promise to do all I can to help you experience this difference you made by sending you periodic updates.

I've seen many disturbing images here in India. After only 6 weeks, they almost become unnoticeable because they are part of the landscape. Just last week, a friend drove me to an upscale mall and grocery store in a suburb just north of where we live. Walking between the two, we traversed a bridge over a water canal. The stench was indescribable. The color of the water was brown with a rainbow colored film from the floating petroleum pollution. Sickly looking birds were perched on islands of garbage that covered more surface area than the water.

What I didn't see, but know to be true is that this canal is part of the water supply for millions of people. For the lucky ones, the water is treated. This treated water still requires a physiological change for humans to be able to consume it. Without getting into disgusting details, I spent the last week strategically keeping myself close to a bathroom because I inadvertently consumed this treated water without first boiling it for 5 minutes (a daily ritual for us).

The unlucky ones living in many of the slums, including possibly the largest slum in Asia called Dharavi (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jun2009/mumb-j13.shtml ), which is only about 5 miles from where I am sitting right now, can't afford the plumbing and the water supply cost (some say this is mafia controlled). They take their water directly from these waterways for bathing, cooking, laundry and even drinking.

Rotary International controls certain patents for unique water purification systems. You can find information about this by doing a web search on "Rotary biosand filters" or for a specific project, click on: http://www.clubrunner.ca/data/6380/html/15188/SHBioSandProject.pdf. You can see how several clubs are sponsoring projects around the world to provide safe drinking water for families in need. About fifty US dollars covers the cost of a filter that provides safe water for a typical family.

My plan is to collect $500 to initiate a pilot project. I'll be working with some Rotary friends that can help us add to that sum and help figure out the logistics so that the purchased filters can make their way to India to be installed in a local slum to help needy families. I'll be the local contact and I hope to be able to give you a complete story (with pictures) of the process and some direct connection to the families you are helping.

OK, now for the easy part. Grab your checkbook right now and write a check for $5, $10, $20, $100 or any amount that is large enough for you to feel good about.

Make it payable to: Traverse Bay Sunrise Rotary,

send it to: Mike Brown, 455 E Harbor Hwy, Maple City, MI 49664

and please send me an email to let me know how much you have/will send out so I can acknowledge you properly and keep track of your generous donation.

Mike will deliver it to the Rotary people.

Since many of us have every intention of doing something great but have a tendency to procrastinate, I'm setting a deadline of Tuesday night, June 30th.

Thank you so much for taking the time to consider this and if you are compelled to take action, know that every great problem can be solved in a series of small but important steps.

Gary Brown - garynormanbrown hotmail.com

&
Lisa Perrine Brown
Program Manager, Product Design Department
Raffles Design International
Raheja Centre, Linking Road & Main Avenue
Santacruz West, Mumbai 400 054
India