Do you know what actions Fair Future is taking to solve the problem of lack of clean water?

In this new “Picture of the Day”, around ten people are seen burying HDPE pipes between a new 5000-liter ferro-cement tank and another 5000-liter ferro-cement tank. These pipes will later connect the new sanitation facilities, the school, the village houses, and the latest installation of eight sinks These sinks will allow the village’s children to wash their hands.

The #WaterConnections projects we carry out in ultra-rural villages in Indonesia, such as Laindatang, embody much more than a simple water installation. They symbolize a profound transformation in the living conditions of the communities where we work. By connecting kilometres of heavy and robust HDPE pipes, we weave water supply networks and links of solidarity and mutual aid between residents and our team.

These pipes, which we carefully bury to protect them from savannah fires—a work we do with the villagers—are not only water pipes; they are the vectors of better health and a vastly improved quality of life. Access to clean water radically changes the daily lives of these families. Drinking, cooking, washing, watering a garden, or simply washing have become simple and safe, eliminating many risks of using contaminated water.

The availability of clean water has a direct and measurable impact on the health of communities. Infectious diseases, often spread by unsafe water, see their rate drastically reduced once access to quality water is secured. Ailments such as malaria, diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and other water-related illnesses, which previously were part of daily life in these villages, are beginning to disappear. By providing a reliable source of drinking water, we attack the root of one of the leading causes of malnutrition, allowing safer food and facilitating the irrigation of small vegetable gardens, sources of better, fresh and nutritious food.

Beyond health, #WaterConnections is also revolutionizing villages’ social and economic fabric. Women and children, who were often responsible for collecting water, sometimes from long distances, were freed from this time-consuming and exhausting task. Children can devote more time to their education, and women to income-generating activities or personal development. This creates a dynamic of progress and empowerment within communities, promoting the emergence of new opportunities for all.

This project is not only a technical response to the problem of access to water; it is a door to a healthier, more equitable and more promising future for hundreds of families. By building these facilities, training residents in their maintenance, raising awareness of the importance of hygiene and sharing our knowledge, Fair Future and all our teams on site are sowing the seeds of an innovative and, above all, sustainable transformation. Each pipe laid, each meter of buried pipe, and each drop of clean water that arrives in a home brings us closer to this future for those families officially qualified by the national authorities as “Extreme Poverty”.

Thanks to the support of donors and partners, these projects can come to fruition. We are grateful to everyone from Rotary, those involved in the fight against malaria (RAM), and supporters from Switzerland, Indonesia, and worldwide. Together, we can save lives.

Your help is vital in supporting our mission to reach more villages and improve more lives. Water is essential, and together, we can make life healthier, safer, and more full of opportunities for Indonesia’s ultra-rural communities. Thank you for your ongoing support and for believing in our cause.

Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – The 27th of March 2024

The new “Picture of the Day” features the newly completed sanitary facilities in the village of Laindatang. It’s a revolutionary development for these families, who previously lacked access to toilets, showers, and clean water. Fair Future has been actively involved in this area for 18 months and is making significant changes to improve people’s health and preserve lives.

In the village of Laindatang, the concrete and vital action of the Fair Future Foundation is manifested through the #WaterConnections project. Before our intervention, living conditions in this village were precarious, and there was no access to basic sanitation facilities or clean water. Families live daily, facing the daily challenges posed by the lack of hygiene and the health risks that arise from it.

Completing the second sanitation facility in the village marks a turning point. These facilities, including a handwashing sink, represent a revolution for the community. Hand hygiene’s simple yet crucial importance cannot be underestimated in the fight against infectious diseases. The source of this transformation? Four new ferro-cement reservoirs, the fruit of our ingenuity and determination, and a deep borehole that symbolizes our ongoing commitment to the Laindatang community.

These facilities, separated by gender, offer private space for showering, washing clothes, and much more. They are equipped with safety tanks divided into three parts, designed to filter and separate water at different stages of use in accordance with international water purification standards. This distinction between clean, shower, and dirty water is essential for preserving water quality in the village, a pillar of our mission to combat transmissible diseases.

Implementing these sanitation facilities has a profound impact on the health and well-being of the villagers. By eliminating unsanitary practices such as open defecation, we directly reduce the risks of infectious disease transmission, a primary concern in these ultra-rural areas. This action represents a significant step forward in our fight against diseases like Malaria, Diarrhea, Cholera, Polio and other water and hygiene-related infections.

Beyond the sanitary aspect, these facilities strongly impact the dignity and privacy of individuals, particularly the women and girls of the village. Having access to private toilets with a closed door is a matter of personal respect, safety, and female health preservation. This dramatically changes the daily dynamics of the village, offering a healthier, safer, and more dignified living environment.

This achievement results from the commitment of the Fair Future Foundation and its partners, but above all, it demonstrates our will to put humans at the heart of our actions. Each project and each initiative we undertake aims to concretely improve the lives of the communities we serve by providing sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. In Laindatang, as in every village where we intervene, our mission is clear: to build a fairer, healthier, and more equitable future for all.

Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – The 27th of March 2024