My Nonprofit Reviews

My favorite memory from Bolivia takes place in front of a small adobe hut in the Alti Plano, surrounded by villagers celebrating their new community well and waterlines. A simple concrete stand has been lavishly decorated with a traditional shawl, hat and skirts to resemble a local Aymara woman. It’s pretty clever. As I move closer for a better look, someone lifts the colorful skirts and turns on the tap—dousing me with clean, very cold, water!
I still have one of the hand woven alpaca shawls that were wrapped around me and a small group of WEFTA engineers as the evening chill set in. I knew these dedicated volunteers had worked closely with this community to design a simple, functional system that included a cold-water tap in front of every home. Now that I think about it—I was probably the only one who didn’t know what was hidden beneath that ’woman’s’ skirts!
More recently, I was lucky enough to combine a trip to Macchu Picchu with a visit to the string of towns along the Valle Sagrada with two WEFTA engineers. No cold wet surprises there, rather a sobering education in the realities of booming tourism and a desperate need for adequate sanitation. This time, I was more aware of the lengthy preparation that goes into such a project—WEFTA engineers do not offer advice or expertise that has not been requested.
Macchu Picchu is stunning—but it is the days I spent in the string of communities along the polluted, garbage strewn Urubamba River that remain in my heart. As a donor, my job was basically to stay out of the way and let the WEFTA engineers and the local officials do their work—but I was encouraged to come along and see for myself both the need and the proposed solutions, and share in the celebrations.
How many trekkers can boast of looking down every(I swear!) sewer in the valley, and eating roasted guinea pig(heads and cute little feet intact) at a community feast?
I have gladly increased my financial support to WEFTA every year, and hope I can continue to do so. WEFTA is a non-profit like no other I’ve encountered and I encourage anyone interested in the human right to clean water and sanitation to support them as well.

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