We’ve got water! Everyone knows that in developing countries throughout the world, access to clean water is a game changer. Even on our beautiful campus by the sea, we had trouble providing reliable, clean drinking water to our staff and students. Since Artists Institute is built on the edge of a cliff, everyone told us we’d never hit water drilling a well, just rock. Everyone thought it couldn’t be done. So we were forced to adapt and have water delivered from town to our campus on trucks twice a week, every week, for the past five years. Whether for drinking, cooking, bathing, or basic sanitation, clean water can help. This past week with the help of our friends at Waves for Water, we successfully drilled a well on our campus in Jacmel, providing Artists Institute access to fresh, clean drinking water!
Jon Rose, founder of Waves for Water, is an old friend of Ciné Institute and its founder David Belle, now our CEO here at Artists for Peace and Justice. Rose and Belle worked together to distribute food, water filters, and general aid in the wake of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. When Jon and his team heard our community in Jacmel needed clean water, he did not hesitate to help. Two days later, we struck big.
Waves for Water (W4W) have a simple mission: get clean water to every single person who needs it. W4W founder Jon Rose says, “In my opinion, the Artists Institute truly represents the new paradigm in Haiti. It’s an environment that gives the next generation a real opportunity for a brighter future. In conjunction with APJ, we at Waves For Water are honored to help support their amazing program, by providing a new fresh water well.”
With Haiti’s population of nearly 10 million people, 70% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water, and totally avoidable waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and chronic diarrhea claim half the nation’s deaths each year. Clean water is an issue that some times feels overlooked, but organizations like W4W are doing something about it. On behalf of all of our staff and students, we can’t wait to put this much-needed well to good use! Thank you Waves for Water!
