Walu International Programs
As you read this, is there a bathroom nearby? We bet there is. And if you get thirsty, is there a faucet where you can get some clean water? We hope so.
Currently, one in six children that die in Papua New Guinea die from diarrhea related diseases. 90% of these deaths are attributed to unsanitary living conditions. That’s the bad news. The good news is we can prevent this.
By “we”, we’re referring to Walu International, a non-profit dedicated to improving sanitary conditions in the coastal communities in Papua New Guinea. These local villagers have no running water and no toilets. What does this mean? It means they drink dirty water and use the ocean as their toilet—the same ocean where children play and people fish. Unless they improve their sanitation techniques the mortality rates of children will continue to be nearly ten times higher than those in the United States.
Our solution: Instead of using a subsidized approach where villagers are given “hand-outs”, Walu International uses the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach. CLTS educates and empowers the local people with the information to identify their own problems and come up with their own solutions. The use of local labor and local resources gives the villagers a sense of entitlement over their projects.
While a vaccination only lasts one lifetime, education will exponentially grow over generations. We hope to expand our programs to many of the rural villages throughout Papua New Guinea.
In the end, we want to make sure that we keep the children smiling!
Photos from Walu's Pilot Project
Walu International is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. All donations are tax deductible.
