On May 12, 2008, a deadly earthquake struck China’s Sichuan province, toppling thousands of homes, schools and factories. China’s worst natural disaster in three decades killed an estimated 80,000 people, orphaned 5,000 children and left more than 5 million people homeless.
In addition to breaches in the municipal water system that caused massive leaks and reduced water pressure, debris, inorganic materials and bacterial contaminants were carried into the water lines and created optimal conditions for the growth and movement of many disease-causing microorganisms.
In July of that same year, a child’s right had rare permission to work in-country with the Chinese government in the most damaged areas of the epicenter. Such permission was granted so we could provide long term solutions for clean and safe drinking water to families and children. We delivered access to free, purified water to nearly 50,000 people – 30,000 of whom were children – by allocating and installing 30 clean water systems across ten children’s schools, nine displacement camps, and one hospital.
Within months of the earthquake, the Chinese government had created hundreds of displacement camps with stable and secure shelters for individuals and families left homeless by the disaster. Each site housed between 500 and 10,000 people, fully equipped with electricity, security and management staff. Working with the local government, site management and hired engineers, a child’s right determined the best locations for filter installations, plus dedicated rooms for clean drinking water. We set up 17 unique systems serving more than 25,000 people in these relief camps.
a child’s right also worked quickly to establish a water system and dedicated safe drinking water station in the one of the few surviving medical facilities remaining near the earthquake’s epicenter.
According to Chinese officials, acr’s contribution was the single largest donation of its kind from any organization after the earthquake. As well, we provided every site with more than 5 years of spare parts, provisions, and maintenance to ensure each installation’s success, sustainability and direct impact on the people we serve.
In addition to breaches in the municipal water system that caused massive leaks and reduced water pressure, debris, inorganic materials and bacterial contaminants were carried into the water lines and created optimal conditions for the growth and movement of many disease-causing microorganisms.
In July of that same year, a child’s right had rare permission to work in-country with the Chinese government in the most damaged areas of the epicenter. Such permission was granted so we could provide long term solutions for clean and safe drinking water to families and children. We delivered access to free, purified water to nearly 50,000 people – 30,000 of whom were children – by allocating and installing 30 clean water systems across ten children’s schools, nine displacement camps, and one hospital.
Within months of the earthquake, the Chinese government had created hundreds of displacement camps with stable and secure shelters for individuals and families left homeless by the disaster. Each site housed between 500 and 10,000 people, fully equipped with electricity, security and management staff. Working with the local government, site management and hired engineers, a child’s right determined the best locations for filter installations, plus dedicated rooms for clean drinking water. We set up 17 unique systems serving more than 25,000 people in these relief camps.
a child’s right also worked quickly to establish a water system and dedicated safe drinking water station in the one of the few surviving medical facilities remaining near the earthquake’s epicenter.
According to Chinese officials, acr’s contribution was the single largest donation of its kind from any organization after the earthquake. As well, we provided every site with more than 5 years of spare parts, provisions, and maintenance to ensure each installation’s success, sustainability and direct impact on the people we serve.
