Sri Lanka and the Tsunami


I'm sure we all could not believe the disasters from the Tsunami. I know our prayers go out to those that have endured this disaster--and are still enduring.

In the past, this community has been very helpful in times of need. We have a dealer in Sri Lanka. He came to the US and I spent a day with him training. I have been communicating via e-mail with him since the Tsunami. He and his family are safe, but he says the disaster is really quite beyond belief. I asked him if there is anything I could do to help. He asked for water purification tablets. They need the type the kills both viral and micro-organisms. I have purchased all that is available here, and it wasn't very much. I'm asking help, if anyone can send us more of these tablets, Rives Audio will express ship all of them to our contact in Sri Lanka.

If you care to help, please send tablets to:
Rives Audio
PO Box 5548
Coralville, IA 52241

My plan is to ship at the end of next week, so if you can help, please do so quickly. I don't really want a bunch of tablets after we've shipped.
rives
Rives, a company that manufactures such tablets in my home town has taken up the cause.

This link could help multiply your efforts.
I applaud your effort and will be happy to offer a donation if that will help. Please let me know.

While just slightly off topic, I came across this article on purifying water on the BBC news site awhile back, and was struck by its simplicity and practicality. Perhaps you can pass the information along.

In northern Brazil, residents in the town of Oroba are using an altogether different method in order to purify water and prevent disease.

The town's inhabitants have taken to a surprisingly simple process called Sodis (Solar Water Disinfection Process).

There are several stages to Sodis. Firstly, a clean, two-litre bottle needs to be filled up to three-quarters of its volume with water.

The bottle is shaken for 20 seconds to oxygenate the water. Then, the rest of the bottle is filled and the top screwed on.

It is then placed on a rooftop in direct sunlight for six hours. The ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun's rays eliminates virtually all disease-causing bacteria, viruses and micro-organisms.

"This method is very efficient if you follow the simple procedures," says Professor Jose Euclides Paternini of the Unicamp University, Sao Paolo.

"The Sodis method can be used in many countries, but especially those close to the equator with high solar radiation, and where the population has no access to conventional water treatment."

Luiz Barbosa has been a community health worker for 10 years, looking after 118 families in Oroba. He has observed the difference Sodis has made to the health of his community.

"The water treatment we are using here in this municipality is Sodis - that is purification through the Sun's rays - and it is working well because the children are healthy, smiling and they're enjoying a healthier life," he explains.

Original article can be found here
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