Wine to Water

Wine to Water
Non-profit organization
Founded 2003 (2003)
Founder Doc Hendley
Headquarters Boone, North Carolina
Number of locations
 International
Area served
 Developing countries
Services Clean water distribution and training
Number of employees
 5 full-time, 5 part-time, Dozens of volunteers and international aid organizations
Website winetowater.org

Wine to Water is a non-profit organization focused on providing clean water to people around the world. The organization was founded by Doc Hendley in 2003.

History

The idea for Wine to Water was born in late 2003, with the first fundraiser being held in Raleigh, North Carolina in early 2004. The founder and current president, Doc Hendley was a bartender in Raleigh, and had a strong desire utilize the bar and nightclub industry as a way to bring about positive change in the world. After becoming aware of the world's water crisis, Doc held fundraisers at wine tastings and bars in the Raleigh area. The funds from the events would be used to implement clean water projects around the world.[1] The projects financed include digging and repairing wells, supplying areas with filtration systems and storage containers, and educating locals on how to maintain fresh water supplies.

Nearly one billion people worldwide lack access to clean water,[2] and roughly 3.5 million people die each year because of water related issues.[3] Almost half of these deaths are attributed to diarrhea.[4][5] Wine to Water has expanded greatly recently, and is currently working on water projects in Sudan, India, Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Peru, and Kenya.

Wine to Water is based in Boone, North Carolina, and has clean water projects running in multiple international locations. Wine to Water has received a great deal of media attention on the local, national, and international levels. Doc Hendley was selected by CNN as a top ten finalist for the 2012 CNN Heroes.[6] As of 2009, Wine to Water had implemented sustainable drinking water initiatives to over 25,000 individuals.[7] By October 2014, WTW had expanding to include projects in 18 countries on four continents, supplying clean water to over 300,000 individuals.

Projects

Well being dug in Trujillo, Peru

Sudan

Sudan was one of the first countries to receive aid from Wine to Water. Much of the work in Sudan is focused on the rehabilitation of old wells that have stopped supplying water due to faulty pumping mechanisms. Wine to Water has also helped truck water into many of the war torn regions of Sudan. In addition to the above successes, they have constructed and installed an entire water system for an orphanage located in the country's capital. Prior to the contributions made by Wine to Water, the orphanage children were drinking out of a basin of standing water. This is very unhealthy because the basin was the same basin they washed in and standing water is a "breeding ground" for bacteria. Thanks to Wine to Water, the children and staff now have access to clean running water. Many of the locations wine to water has visited in the Sudan area have been deemed "unsafe" for humanitarian work. However, Doc and his organization have traveled to these areas and successfully implemented water treatment facilities and practices.[8]

India

A leper colony located on the outskirts of New Delhi lacked access to clean water. WTW has installed a new running water system for this colony.[9]

Cambodia

Cambodia is a country surrounded by water, yet most of the citizens lack access to clean water. Roughly  3⁄4 of the deaths in Cambodia can be attributed to a lack of clean water.[10] One focus of Wine to Water in Phnom Penh, is to supply Bio Sand filters for the residences and communities that do not have access to clean water. The primary focus, however, is the drilling of new water wells for communities. As of October, 2009, WTW has drilled over 70 wells for the people of Cambodia. Using local supplies and hand pumps, WTW is able to cut the cost of drilling a well to one fifth the original cost.[9]

Uganda

Work in Uganda is focused on several areas: first is the distribution of Bio-Sand filters, second is the training of local persons to manufacture their own filters, lastly the formation of training centers around the country to educate the citizens about how to clean water and the importance of this process.[9]

Doc (right) checking out a water tank placed on a roof in Peru

Peru

Wine to Water's work in Peru is currently centered in Trujillo. Water projects underway as of 2009 include hand digging wells, as well as supplying households, orphanages and daycares with a water pumping and storage system to ensure clean water for the community. Individual filtration systems are being distributed in additional areas exposed to contaminated water sources.[11]

Haiti

In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Wine To Water responded by partnering with Filter Pure[12] to distribute 500 ceramic water filters. The filters provide clean water for a family of 10 for up to five years. Along with Filter Pure, Wine to Water has also begun to build a Haitian run ceramic filter factory to ensure clean water will continue to get to those who need it most.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Archived December 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/jmp_report_7_10_lores.pdf
  3. ↑ "WHO | World Health Organization". Who.int. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  4. ↑ "WHO | Safer water, better health". Who.int. 2010-12-10. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  5. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions : Survival Expert : Discovery Channel". Dsc.discovery.com. 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  6. ↑ "CNN Heroes 2012 - Everyday People Changing the World - Special Reports from". CNN.com. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  7. ↑ "CNN Heroes - Special Reports from". CNN.com. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  8. ↑ "Bartender helps turn wine to water in developing world". CNN. 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  9. 1 2 3 Archived October 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ "Bartender helps turn wine to water in developing world". CNN. 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  11. 1 2 "Our projects". Wine To Water. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  12. ↑ Marcel Zakzrewicz by Web Macon International. "Ceramic potters water filters for peace in Haiti during this hard times after the earthquake desaster". Filterpurefilters.org. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
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