Drinking Water Appeal
Why is Supporting Dalit Children involved in the supply of clean drinking water?
Quite simply, we have visited so many villages in India that don't have any sort of mains water or mains drainage installed in their homes. In times of drought which are common in this part of southern India, villagers used to have to walk miles to a nearby town in order to fill up their plastic urns with clean water, and then miles back again carrying them either on their heads, or by pulling a small cart. It never ceases to amaze us that there are so many people we know who don’t have a direct water supply to their house, and who rely on clean water being brought to them - an unimaginable thought for those of us who do take clean drinking water for granted!
Over the years, we have launched one-off Appeals to be able to help with a specific project relating to the needs of the Dalit people, and clean drinking water is an ongoing need.
In 2020, we were asked if we could help to provide a second tractor for transporting water to other villages who didn't have access to clean water. The tractor being used was ten years old and regularly breaking down, the gear lever had broken off. Due to the tractor's age, it was proving hard to get parts to carry out the necessary repairs. The mechanic at the Mission was having to weld the gear lever back on to resume the supply of water to the villages. We launched an Appeal and a few months' later, were able to send the funds necessary to buy a second tractor.
In 2017 we supported a new water filtration plant in the children's hostel attached to Kapepaladi school. This plant is powered by solar panels, and was largely funded by the donations of a primary school in the UK.
We request donations all year round in order to be able to support the vital service of supplying drinking water to remote villages. Thank you to all who have supported our Appeals in the past that relate to clean drinking water, you have literally helped to prevent many illnesses and save the lives of the more vulnerable Dalit infants and the elderly.
