Topic: |
Plight of East Timorese & Improving Water Supply |
Background: |
Fellow Rotarians Our Speaker this week is Ben Rose..and yes he is related to the other Rose we know!!
Ben is a remarkable human being who is committed to help in the plight of the Timorese people..apart from infrastructure issues and many other challenges, surprisingly, water is a critical resource which is lackingin the many villages of East Timor.
Ben will present his story in a powerpoint presentation including powerful photos which show how Ben and some Perth Rotarians have all come together to make a positive difference for people living in many East Timor.
He is an environmental consultant specializing in energy and emissions auditing and carbon sequestration. (In fact he has been a technical adviser to the Rotary Club of Perth Daysofchange project.) He has 15 years experience in natural resource management, working with small groups of farmers to improve sustainability in agriculture and 3 years in high school science education.
Ben produces information materials for sustainability awareness, including an energy and emissions calculator on www.ghgenergycalc.com.au.
He and his wife travel on on two wheels (several bikes including an electric bicycle and petrol scooter) and his interest is inventing, currently working an efficient gas kettle.
Our experience at East Timor villages and attempts to improve the water supply
Although my wife and I found living villages hut with no knowledge of Tetum and few conveniences difficult, we also felt privileged that the villagers willingly shared their life with us. We will never forget their good humour and hospitality, or the faces of the little children who struggled up the hills with 5 L containers of water, making a game of it wherever possible. We were always aware that the 5 – 10 L of water we used for our ‘tub baths’ and cups of tea had to be brought this way, 200 - 800 metres up 20 m steep slopes on paths that are dusty in the dry season and would be very slippery in the wet.
The original vision was to provide a safe, more accessible water supply for the village, especially the school children who have to carry water for drinking and toilets to the school. This is a worthy vision and we want to see it completed.
Yes, villagers have lived this ‘sustainable’ life, with its 10-15% infant mortality for hundreds of years. In a community and perhaps spiritual sense they are richer and happier than we are. But the lack of safe easily accessible water has cruel consequences and the villagers have asked for help in providing a better water supply. That is reason enough for us to want to see the project finished. We are willing to help in any way we can to that end.
Fellow Rotarians...your mission this week is to inspire some young folk in your family, or invite your relatives or neighbours and their children to this thought provoking talk to be given by Ben Rose.
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