THE WATER PROJECT
Out of 101 million Filipinos, eight million rely on unimproved, unsafe and unsustainable water sources and 27 million lack access to improved sanitation (water.org). Families without a safe water source in or near their home often spend significant time and energy collecting water. We want to eliminate the distance travelled on foot while carrying large amounts of water - an obligation usually given to small children. Averie and Marevi Bishop have recently built a water well in the province of Banga, South Cotabato to provide easier access to clean water. The water well, which was drilled during the summer of 2015, flows drinkable spring water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from natural pressures beneath the ground. We hope to expand our project to more provinces on the island of South Cotabato. Averie has recently received a research grant from SMU's Embrey Human Rights program to finance an additional water well in the neighboring province of Lambukay, South Cotabato (Approximately 9 miles north of Banga). The expedition took place in July of 2018.