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A healthier life thanks to the Water Connections program

A healthier life thanks to the Water Connections program

This new "Picture of the Day"  shows a delighted father who can now provide daily showers for his children, thanks to the newly installed water supply. Previously, they could only shower sporadically, sometimes only once a month. Additionally, the photo showcases the new sanitation facilities constructed in Mbinudita. The Water Connections project has successfully installed over forty reservoirs, thirty sanitary installations, three deep boreholes, and more than 15000 meters of HDPE pipes.

Water scarcity can be a significant source of stress for some regions, and various factors can cause it. Arid climates, low rainfall and prolonged droughts are just a few conditions that can contribute to water scarcity. Poor water resource management and a lack of knowledge can also exacerbate this problem, making it even more difficult for everyone to access the water they need to thrive. 
Despite these challenges, Fair Future is working hard to address water scarcity and ensure people have access to this vital resource. That is why we have developed the Water Program Connections.

Fair Future and Kawan Baik have noticed a significant improvement in the behaviour of families who have benefited from the "Water Connections" initiative. This program has enabled people to grow gardens, consume healthier food, enjoy life more, reduce stress, and boost energy levels. As a result, there has been a marked decrease in illnesses.

Witnessing these positive changes fills us with joy and reinforces our conviction in our decisions. Fair Future and Kawan Baik Foundation have always aimed to improve individual health, and providing access to safe drinking water is a beautiful way to accomplish this objective. As a Medical Foundation, Fair Future Foundation understands clean water's significance for maintaining good health. Drinking enough clean and healthy water is crucial for various physiological processes, including body hydration, proper organ function, digestion, and elimination of toxins.

Access to clean and safe water prevents dehydration-related illnesses, such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and constipation. It also significantly prevents dehydration, particularly in hot areas where sweating and water loss through respiration are common. While water is necessary for maintaining good health, we understand better than anyone else that certain medical conditions may require alternative treatments.

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Beyond Borders, Fighting Malaria Together in Eastern Indonesia

Beyond Borders, Fighting Malaria Together in Eastern Indonesia

Beyond Borders: Fighting Malaria Together in Eastern Indonesia. This new "Picture of the Day"  shows three kids between 8 and 12 years old. Children are among the most vulnerable malaria victims in Indonesia, especially in the east of the country and of course here, where we work with Fair Future, Kawan Baik foundations and all our partners and friends.

The health and well-being of children in eastern Indonesia are threatened by malaria, which hinders their growth, development, and quality of life. Our organizations have a deep understanding of the urgency to address this issue, and we are working hard on our disease control program, which is of utmost importance. We have a strong track record of working in these regions where the epidemic affects about 80% of children. Collaborative efforts are underway to combat malaria and prioritize the welfare of children in these areas.

Young children are at a higher risk of contracting malaria due to their underdeveloped immune systems. Living in rural and poor areas with limited access to preventive measures only exacerbates the severity of symptoms if infected. A contributing factor is that young children typically haven't been exposed to the malaria parasite enough times to build up immunity* against it.

It can be challenging for young children in our regions to communicate or identify the symptoms of malaria, and their parents may not be familiar with them either. As a result, affected children may display non-specific symptoms like fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, irritability, and vomiting, which could easily be mistaken for other common childhood illnesses like drinking contaminated water. Consequently, this can cause delays in diagnosing and treating malaria accurately

*Some additional explanation: People living in malaria-endemic areas gradually develop acquired immunity, which reduces their susceptibility to severe infections in the future.

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Malaria in East Sumba: All villages turned Red!

Malaria in East Sumba: All villages turned Red!

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you a brave but sad mom who asks for care for her little boy. She is a courageous but sad mother who seeks care for her little boy, who suffers from Malaria. With pain and more than 40 fever, He is the example of the "typical patient" here: Under five years old, this family lives in an ultra-rural and marginalized area. She is poor, and they don't have access to medical care or enough food and clean water; They don't have toilets either. Moreover, the whole village does not have access to electricity.

The medical staff of Kawan Baik and Fair Future Foundation bring him relief and medicine to lower his fever and get better as soon as possible. We also talk to the mother and give her good advice.

Let me re-explain to you what malaria is and why this disease is hazardous, and the categories of people it affects in the first place:

Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitoes. Although anyone can get malaria, specific categories of people are more susceptible to severe illness and complications. We find that the impact of malaria varies by geographic region and local health infrastructure. Our efforts to fight malaria focus on prevention through measures such as the establishment of the Primary Medical Care Program (PMC), mosquito nets, spraying in villages (fogging), and learning to wash with an "ani-malaria or disinfectant" soap, among others. 

1. First, children under five: This is because young children have a weaker immune system and have not yet developed immunity to disease. They are more likely to have serious symptoms and complications, including severe anaemia and cerebral malaria, which can be life-threatening. This is the case here: Infant mortality is very high in ultra-rural areas and marginalized populations of East Sumba.

2. But also pregnant women: Of course, malaria can have adverse effects on both the mother and the unborn child. Pregnant women are at an increased risk of developing severe malaria, leading to complications such as maternal anaemia, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth or low birth weight infants. I spoke to you about a similar case in Kabanda, right?

Public health interventions to provide vital advice to the most affected populations via the #kawansehat program are essential. You have to be close to people if you want to advise them on the best way to have a healthier life.

3. Ultra-rural and marginalized populations: Communities living in rural and remote areas, often with limited access to health care, such as here in East Sumba, are disproportionately affected by malaria. Factors such as poverty, lack of knowledge about preventive measures and limited access to health services contribute to malaria's higher prevalence and impact in these communities.

4. Immunocompromised people: People with weakened immune systems, such as those living with HIV/AIDS, are more likely to contract severe malaria. We are also talking about people with chronic illnesses. Malaria can also aggravate the progression of HIV infection. And concerning the rate of HIV-positive people here is also very high, even with very few tests being conducted.

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Happy to have water without going far to get it

Happy to have water without going far to get it

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you a 12-year-old kid named Yaspan. He was born in a tiny village in East Sumba where Fair Future and Kawan Baik have worked for over four years. We built a new school for him a few years ago, #sdmbinudita, and now he and his family have clean water reaching his house, which was not the case before. Yaspan and all his friends from the Village of Mbinudita are lucky because children struggle to get water everywhere else. They have to find it very far on foot; to do this, they miss school, get injured, and fall ill.

There's something inexplicably satisfying about the heavy rains in ultra-rural East Sumba, especially when you live in a water-scarce area: The sound of raindrops hitting the roof is soothing, and the smell of wet earth is refreshing; plus, you feel good because you know that this rain will help the family. When it rains a lot, kids and families here can't help but be happy knowing that their water tanks will be filled and they won't have to worry about running out of water for a moment.

"-It's a small blessing for which I am grateful, and I always make sure to take advantage of the rain while it lasts…" a friend from the village told me last month.

Heavy rains like the ones we experienced last month in one of the ultra-rural villages in East Sumba, where we work with Fair Future and Kawan Baik Indonesia foundations, are also an opportunity to celebrate as these kids wade through the water. They are the first to be happy because they won't have to walk for hours to fetch water far from home.

With those heavy rains comes plenty of water and the relief of much-needed hydration. The floods will provide much-needed food for crops, wash livestock and provide villagers with general water and sanitation assistance. With the bonus of increased economic activity and improved social well-being from the new abundance of water, these small floods are becoming the opportunity of a lifetime for the villages of Sumba. With increased water storage, a healthier environment and better living conditions, small floods caused by heavy rains are the perfect way to improve the lives of villagers in these areas where water is absent.

It's interesting to consider that what may be a challenge for many of us is a helpful solution for these families.

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Kullup is a hole in the rock to collect rainwater

Kullup is a hole in the rock to collect rainwater

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you kids from the village of Laidatang, who fetch water far from home in the "Kullup" of the village. Elthon, responsible for documentation (with the black t-shirt), and Alex, from the medical staff, are also present in this photo. With the kids and one or two adults accompanying us, we walk more than an hour to reach this place in the middle of a high hill. You must descend a steep path to access these hand-dug holes in the rock. In 30 minutes, we will have to go up the hill and walk back. But this time, loaded with several jerrycans filled to the brim.

The Fair Future and Kawan Baik teams spend two days with the families of the ultra-rural and isolated village of Laindatang to get to know them even better. In this village, we have the project to create a #WaterConnections project. I let you read here the articles related to this project and here to see what your want to do to save their lives,

In Laindatang, families only have access to rainwater. It's for everything: eating, drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, drinking water, caring for children, sick people or watering animals. Therefore, one of the ways for women and young girls to have water at home to live on is to walk several kilometres to find the "Kullup".

Kullup, what is it? These are small stone basins, directly dug into the rock by the villagers, used to collect and store rainwater in rural areas. When it rains, the water seeps into the ground at the top of the hill and then is filtered through the earth and the basements. It flows drop by drop in these stone basins, the "Kullup". Then the villagers come to fill their jerrycans with five or ten litres.

The "Kuluk" are an essential water source for the local communities. But the quality of stored water can be affected by bacterial contamination, chemicals, animal waste or debris. Therefore, regularly cleaning these small holes in the rock is essential to maintain water quality. It is important to note that the "kuluk" is only a temporary solution to the water crisis in areas with limited access to drinking water. Indeed, the "kuluks" cannot fill up correctly without rain. They dry out about ten days after the last rains and remain dry for almost nine months. To find water, young girls, women and children, sometimes under five, will have to walk even further and longer.

Our two organizations work with local communities to implement longer-term solutions, such as constructing water supply networks using deep boreholes and sealed and healthy rainwater cisterns. The Water Connections program offers innovative and sustainable solutions. It includes promoting water conservation practices with “Kawan Sehat” and self-sustaining access to Primary Medical Care through the PMC program.

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Helping ultra-rural families to have a healthier life

Helping ultra-rural families to have a healthier life

This new "Picture of the Day" features Kawan Ino, one of the Fair Future team members in Sumba (Rumah Kambera Leader), talking to health workers and the village community of Kabanda. To do this, he uses the "Kawan Sehat" book we produced at the end of 2022 for children in these regions. This book is an integral part of the program of access to primary medical care for children in ultra-rural areas.

We spend two days here, and you can read what we have done in Kabanda. This village is genuinely one of the most isolated I have ever seen. Getting it is difficult, even dangerous, at times. No road leads to this village; only extremely steep or steep stony paths allow us to go there. Kawan Ino explains how to have a healthier life thanks to implementing specific things in everyday life. This includes physical and mental health, body and home hygiene, daily habits and women empowerment.

Thanks to the Kawan Sehat program, we see a significant improvement in the health and well-being of rural populations. It is truly heartening to see healthy habits being encouraged and access to health care increasing. It is vital that everyone has access to quality health care, and we are happy that this program allows more people to receive the care they need.

Here, when a person is sick or injured while a woman is due to give birth, one of the only ways for her to receive medical attention is to carry her on people's backs for several hours or even a whole day until the nearest health centre. This person also does not know if he will arrive in time at the medical centre, called "Puskesmas or Pustu", as we have seen on several occasions.

This is why this book is necessary:Kawan Sehat” is intended for schools and teachers. It's an amazing teaching aid for them, and kids love it. Nothing is done here to give children the means to learn from an early age how to wash themselves, eat healthier, use soap, and learn not to pollute or brush their teeth etc… In the classrooms here in East Sumba, the book“Kawan Sehat” is the only one available for children; there are no others.

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Access to clean water is vital for human health

Access to clean water is vital for human health

This "Picture of the Day" shows young children's struggles in East Sumba. The jerry cans are heavy and sometimes more prominent than the children themselves. With limited access to drinking water sources, the kids who live there (here in these images in the villages of Kabanda, Mahu, Laindatang, and Tana Mbanas) are forced to walk long distances to fetch water. Water in rivers or wells which are also contaminated. It takes up a lot of their time and puts them at risk of injury or illness by carrying heavy loads of water. Lack of access to clean water also contributes to poor hygiene and sanitation practices, further compounding the health problems of those East Sumba communities where Kawan Baik and Fair Future work so hard. Together, we are taking action to improve access to clean water sources, in these areas where no roads lead, to ensure the health and well-being of young children and their families. In addition to the physical hardship of fetching water, and as explained in this post, children in rural areas of East Sumba are often deprived of education and other opportunities because of this task. It is widespread (like in this picture of the day) that they miss school or other activities to help collect water, which affects their academic progress and social development.

Here people mainly only have access to contaminated water. This leads to many diseases, including gastrointestinal infections, skin diseases, parasitic diseases and other infectious diseases such as Malaria, Dengue Fever, Cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A or diarrhoea. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to illnesses caused by contaminated water, a significant cause of infant mortality here.

In conclusion, ensuring access to clean water through a program like the #waterconnections project is our top priority that cannot be overlooked. Access to clean water is essential to sustaining life and maintaining good health for everyone here. Water plays a vital role in preventing the spread of the diseases mentioned above, ensuring people can lead healthier lives. Whether for drinking, cooking or cleaning, clean water is essential for everyday life. Without access, communities in the ultra-rural areas of East Sumba suffer from a lack of sanitation and hygiene, leading to various health problems.

Therefore, we must do everything we can to ensure that clean water is available to everyone who needs it.

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Check blood pressure in rural areas

Check blood pressure in rural areas

Here in the ultra-rural and poor areas where Fair Future Foundation and Kawan Baik Indonesia work, populations tend to have a higher prevalence of high blood pressure than in urban and wealthier areas. This is mainly due to poor diet, excessive tobacco consumption, and poor hydration. Of course, poverty and limited access to resources will also contribute to higher stress levels, increasing blood pressure. An unhealthy lifestyle increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. We teach some “Kawan Sehat” health workers participating in the primary medical care program to measure blood pressure and take the necessary measures.

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Giving life to the village of Laindatang

Giving life to the village of Laindatang

The current priority in this village is to give them clean, safe water and sanitation. Here, families must walk for miles, sometimes more than 10 hours, to bring a few litres of clean water home. People here have less than 2 litres per day and a person to drink, eat, go to the toilets, and wash. So you have to make sacrifices. Malaria is taking its toll here, just like infectious diseases that considerably weaken families' health, especially those of children under five. This is a critical situation for us on a health level. Still, on a social level, Fair Future and Kawan Baik, in collaboration with the local authorities, wish to start a simple Water Connections project in this village as soon as possible.

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PMC program pre-assessment in Mbinudita

PMC program pre-assessment in Mbinudita

Fair Future teams examine and investigate more than two hundred cases of various illnesses or injuries treated under the primary medical care program by health workers. We also take stock of what will happen next week to accurately assess the supply of new equipment, drugs and medical devices. We also tell them that three will be part of a “test” screening program for high blood pressure and, in this case, the “prescription” of treatment and an appropriate medical procedure.

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What do the sanitary facilities we build look like?

What do the sanitary facilities we build look like?

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you an example of construction that we carry out in the poorest villages of Indonesia and Asia. Here the families before did not have access to clean water and toilets. Fair Future and Kawan Baik Foundations have been changing this for years, and noticeable changes are being seen.

Access to drinking water and toilets is a fundamental human right. Still, unfortunately, in the regions where we are, nearly 90% of families in ultra-rural areas do not have access to these necessities. Here are some steps that can be taken to provide access to clean water and toilets in the regions that do not have access:

The first step is to identify the areas most needing these facilities. Fair Future and Kawan Baik proceed through research, surveys, and working with our local partners and authorities. Once regions that do not have access to clean water and toilets have been identified, we develop plans to provide these services. This takes into account the specific needs of each community. To do this, we have several ways to provide access to clean water, such as drilling deep wells, installing water filtration systems and collecting rainwater. The method used will depend on the specific needs of the community.

Access to toilets is also essential to reduce the rate of infectious diseases such as Cholera, Dengue, hepatitis A, and Malaria. In this photo, two sanitary facilities have been built using the Ferro-Cement method, with a tank for collecting dirty water and clean water for watering.

Fair Future also considers it essential to educate the community on the importance of hygiene and sanitation practices to prevent the spread of disease. We do this through the #waterconnections and #kawansehat and #primarymedicalcare programs.

One of our missions is also to monitor and maintain these new facilities. This requires the training of local community members who will carry out essential maintenance and repairs.

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A 9-year-old child needs surgery quickly

A 9-year-old child needs surgery quickly

This little boy’s name is Assaria, he’s nine years old. He has severe 3rd-degree burns to over 24% of his body and requires surgical attention. He is not well, and we have to find a solution together. He can barely walk because of terrible burns to his legs and back. The consequences while growing up are significant circulatory and neurological problems. If nothing is done, he risks a double amputation. Let’s help him get surgery for severe burns on both legs before his health deteriorates.

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