Our story begins in a village named San Cristobal in Bocas del Toro, an island group off the coast of Panama, although it could begin anywhere in the world where there are basic needs not being met..
The Ngobe tribe is indigenous to Panama, with people living on less than $1.50 per day. On average, death occurs at age 42, the causes often include water-born illnesses and smoke inhalation from cooking inside huts over open flames. Medical issues are rampant.
Rain is plentiful due to the proximity to the equator, but clean water is scarce, especially during the three-month dry season, and that leads to dehydration, which increases the mortality rate.
Basic Needs, Simple Solutions learned of the Ngobe struggles through the Peace Corps, and an examination of its villages showed 70 to 80 homes with 10 inhabitants each. The ocean surrounds them, but of course this is not water for consumption, and the transportation of clean water by boat is extremely difficult.
Working in conjunction with the Peace Corp, members of the Basic & Simple team created a system whereby one of life’s essential and most basic needs – fresh water – has been met.
It was done collecting rain water filtered through travel over the tin roofs. PVC piping directs the water to 850-gallon collection tanks, where two good rains will fill the tanks and supply families with water for months!
Additional labor comes in the form of laying concrete foundations, three blocks deep and puzzle-pieced together to distribute the weight of the tanks. The most technical piece is the spigot, which controls the distribution of water, but the beauty of the system is that village inhabitants themselves were involved in every step of the process so they know how it works, and they pay 50 cents a month into a co-op for replacement pieces.
With the help of volunteers, 36 water tanks were installed during a recent weeklong visit. This village now has clean water!
Our efforts were celebrated in the most unusual way. A hard rain came during our visit and a spigot broke. Water came flowing out like a fire hydrant and we have a photograph of a child bracing his hands to hold the water back because even at that age he realized its importance to the community.
We returned to the island the next summer and all the tanks were still in operation and while there have been similar equipment failures, the co-op keeps a broken $5 spigot affordable to those with so few financial means.
The goal of Basic Needs, Simple Solutions is to have all projects work so well. We believe it is vital for communities to be engaged in the process so they can thrive long after humanitarian organizations go home.
Our focus is on replicating this success in the area of basic needs – water, food, clean air, shelter and medical needs. Our staff has the ability to evaluate a situation to provide the simplest solution, which is vital in the areas we work. And we have considerable experience executing these projects, with all materials purchased in country.
Our charge is to properly communicate the needs and employ the resources, both labor and financial. A water tank system costs around $1,200, so a donation of $100 per month can provide clean water to a family of 10 for generations.
Also, volunteers can join our efforts as individuals or groups to implement solutions. The work is not difficult; almost anyone can do it, and there will be a general contractor overseeing each project. A team can execute a plan in five to 10 days.
Mostly, these projects will be done in Central America because that is where we have the most experience, but needs have no boundaries, and they’re found even in our communities and nation. We will funnel support to where people need it the most.
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