Help for disaster areas: Rotary Club of Diss & District
At a time when the world is watching, shocked by the devastation caused by the recent tsunami in Japan, it is quite fortuitous that a new drive to encourage support for disaster assistance has just been started by one of our own Rotary Clubs.
The Diss & District Club has a history of success in this field with staunch support from organisations like local schools, associations, scout and guide groups including the Trefoil Guild in South Norfolk – and generous individuals.
A major new initiative has begun under the leadership of Rotarian Heather Babb, who is a member of the Diss & District Rotary Club, to raise awareness and support for a scheme that has developed over 20 years, in aid of people involved in disasters.
They may be natural or man-made disasters but, oddly-enough, the most important issue in so many cases is lack of fresh drinkable water. Even in serious flooding, the lack of clean water is a threat to health. Water born diseases including typhoid, dysentery and cholera quickly become a massive threat to life, especially children.
Many years ago a Rotary Club in Derbyshire started sending out plywood boxes filled with basic essentials of living to disaster areas but quickly realised that if the box was made of robust plastic and watertight it could be used as a reservoir for drinking water. Filters and purification tablets with simple operating instructions would make this new container invaluable in the early days of a catastrophe.
The Solution was called AQUABOX. This plastic tank is not sent out empty but is packed with essential welfare items for a disaster situation and includes water purification tablets.
Basic cooking utensils and tools, including a hammer and nails, feature on a carefully researched and developed list to help people who are prepared collect together the necessary items to fill the boxes.
Once the welfare contents have been removed by the recipient, each AQUABOX can be used to purify up to 1100 litres of polluted water, making it safe and pleasant to drink. As an example, 1100 litres is equal to 5,000 cups – that is enough for a family of four people (drinking 10 cups per day) for about four months.
This new campaign is asking everyone in our local community to help buy boxes (£50 each) and fill these large plastic boxes with the items so essential for people caught up in such a disaster.
Any contribution and assistance is gratefully received. Payments can be made to “Rotary Club of Diss & District” and sent to Heather Babb at 12 Croft Lane, Diss IP22 4NA
Further information about this article, Aquaboxes and Rotary Club of Diss & District can be obtained from Andrew Dickson (Rotarian) on 01379 783272 or [email protected]
Rotary International is in contact with its district governors in the Miyaki and Fukushima prefectures, and assistance needs are being assessed so that requisite material can be air freighted out immediately.
