A third of Manila's 12 million residents live in slums, and 1 out of 3 Filipinos live below the poverty line, surviving on $1.25 a day. 40% of the population will go through life without ever seeing a doctor and 6 out of 10 Filipinos who succumb to sickness die without ever seeing a doctor (University of the Philippines). With our partners in The Philippines we have opened a free clinic for the Caloocan City community located in our Water For Water community water station. Our clinic is run by Dr. Richard Hartland, he also does home visits around the community when people cannot make it to the Water Station. On average, about 40 people visit the clinic each month and the students of our childhood education program also get free health check ups and medical advice. One of the women from the community spoke to our partners and said "When I learned about the free clinic services at the water station, I was very pleased.  It was indeed a relief to me knowing I can come here for help anytime I need to. Providing nutritious food on our table is already a daily challenge. Same with sending them to school. Receiving a free checkup and advice from the clinic is very beneficial to me and my family." With every bottle of Water For Water sold, 100% of Water For Water's profits go to funding the Clinic. Above are some images of Dr. Richard out doing visits in the Community.

Water For Water with your help have been able to further invest into the Caloocan City community by financially supporting two community development programs.

The first program Water For Water have invested into is a childhood education program.

Not only do Water For Water want to see the day that every single person has access to clean safe water but the day that every child is given the opportunity to read, write and count.

For every ten 5-year-old children in The Philippines, only 6 have access to preschool education. Many parents and communities have to be convinced of the importance of early childhood education. 

Along with our partners Water For Water launched a free early childhood program which is located in community centre attached to the water station. The early childhood program is opened to any child in the Caloocan City community who cannot afford to go to school. There are currently 28 children in the program.

The picture above is of Hans Lucas who is 5 years old and is learning to read and write so that one day he can become a police officer. 

With every bottle of Water For Water sold, 100% of Water For Water's profits go to funding this program, or you can make a donation here!

Kyle Hughes-Odgers is an Australian painter and installation artist. He has exhibited artwork and created large-scale public art extensively throughout Australia and internationally: Los Angeles, New York City, Singapore and Europe. His work is held in numerous private and public art collections.

Check out his Christmas Card he did for Water For Water here and purchase a pack today!

We are proud to be supporting this event in Wollongong this weekend.

WONDERWALLS is a three day art festival presented by The Hours,  featuring some of Australia’s most well known Low Brow artists. This weekend there will be hosting an exhibition, an exclusive panel discussion AND a series of small & large scale murals being painted around the Wollongong CBD.

If you’re in Wollongong, make sure you check it out. If you’re from Sydney, it’s only a short drive down the coast. Go for the day, stay for the weekend. Enjoy three days of Australia’s best street and graffiti art, absolutely free.

Visit the WONDERWALLS website for more info.

We just purchased a new tricycle for our water station staff in The Philippines.

Blog Action Day, today, brings together bloggers from around the world to share their personal views on how to make the world a better place. In the past bloggers registered to pen an opinion on Blog Action Day have written about climate change, poverty and food security. The theme for this year’s Blog Action Day is the “Power of We."

Almost 1 billion people don't have access to safe drinking water and approx 3.5 million people, mostly children, die every year from water-related diseases. The statistics are high and the need is great but we believe that change is possible.

We believe that change is possible through people. People can make a difference & through our first water project in The Philippines we have seen the Power of We.

In celebration of the Power of We, we wanted to share with you a collection of photos of just some of the people (a small selection) who have been amazing supporters of Water For Water and have enabled us to create change in the lives of individuals and families of the Caloocan City Community in The Philippines.

Thank you to all those who have bought a bottle of Water For Water, stock Water For Water, bought a Water For Water t-shirt or hat, given a donation, shared our cause online, volunteered & a big thank you to our partners and team in The Philippines & everyone who makes Water For Water happen & function.

Through the Power of We change is possible and we believe that we can live in a world one day where everyone has access to safe clean water!

 

 

Today is World Water Day and we wanted to introduce you to Josephine.

Josephine Romero is 45 years old and has lived in Caloocan City, Philippines her whole life.

Including Josephine 9 people live in her house: 3 young kids and 5 adults, which is a typical Filipino household.

Every week her whole family consumes 3-4 containers of water, which is approximately 70 litres of water that they receive from the Caloocan City Water For Water station. An average Australian will use this amount on just a single shower!

Josephine's husband recently died due to sickness and she now more than ever understands the importance of good health for her family. We spoke to Josephine about what having clean water means to her.

"As a Grandma I believe that clean drinking water is vital to my grandchildren's growth and health. Clean water decreases chances of being sick and hospitalised. I do all I can to preserve my family's health”

Josephine's family like many others in the Philippines use clean water for drinking, cooking and cleaning vegetables. Without access to clean water Filipinos make do with boiling water or alternatively drink un-clean-water from taps. Water is life, and Josephine's family now has the opportunity to have a healthy life.

Buy purchasing a bottle of Water For Water from any Gloria Jean's Coffee house throughout Australia you are helping people like Josephine and her family get access to clean safe drinking water.

 

This is Jason who works at the Water For Water Caloocan City water station out on a water delivery within the community. Thanks Jason for all your hard work!

From afar, it looks more like a pile of garbage - old plastics, rusting cans, rotting wood, spoiled goods. To enter the community, you have to wait for your turn so you can alternately cross the path with other people. For many, this is not what a community should be. But for the residents of Tonsuya, Caloocan City, this is their home.

Poverty can be clearly seen in their housing and environment conditions. Add to this their limited or no access to clean drinking water. The challenges just keep compounding.

Virginia who is 62 years old lives in this community with her two children and 82 year old mother. Her husband is a laborer and only goes home on weekends.

Virginia’s youngest son James has been hospitalised several times because of recurring diarrhea caused by drinking tap water. James’s doctor advised to make sure they are drinking safe clean water.

Virginia now gets water from Water For Water’s Caloocan City Water Station.

Here are some pictures from the community, our water station staff delivering water to the community and Virginia receiving clean water for her family!

Thank you to everyone who purchases Water For Water and for helping change the lives of Virginia and others in Tonsuya, Caloocan City.