Aquabox

Funds have also been directed to the acquisition of Aquaboxes which provide Single Box kits to support whole families in disaster zones.

In a disaster the lack of, or disruption to, a safe water supply or sanitation creates an ideal breeding ground for water-borne disease. Cholera and typhoid are the most virulent of these but they are not the whole story. Often the problem can be a simple infection causing diarrhoea and leading to dehydration, particularly in the very young. Aquabox plays a vital part in minimising the after-effects of disaster.

The standard Aquabox has two functions. It is filled with a selection of warm clothing, useful hardware and hygiene items. It also contains a filter cartridge and a matching supply of water-treatment tablets. Once the welfare contents have been removed, each Aquabox can be used to purify up to 1100 litres of polluted water, making it safe and pleasant to drink in as little as 2 hours. 1100 litres is equal to 5,000 cups - that is enough for a family of four people (drinking 10 cups per day) for about four months. Other types of boxes provide water for a family for at least 6 months and water for schools and hospitals.

Aquaboxes can be purchased “empty” for £50 and filled by the Club, local Churches, schools or others or can be purchased already filled for between £85.

Since its inception in 1992 by RI District 1220, the Rotary Club of Wirksworth, Derbyshire, Aquabox have dispatched over 94,800 boxes enabling over 461 million litres of water to be purified.
Again, the value of these boxes has been shown with the disasters over the last couple of years and the dispatch of 5,554 boxes from January 2010 to May 2011 for Albania, Haiti, Guatemala, Hungary, Romania, Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Niger Zambia and Ghana.
The pictures above show Aquaboxes being transported with flooded and destroyed cotton fields on both sides and an Aquabox being opened in a family's new home under a tree - the destroyed home in the background.

In the last 10 years the Club has filled and dispatched 85 Aquaboxes and our thanks go to Tesco and B&Q who helped us with this.

The Club are still actively collecting for Aquaboxes.

In October 2010 President Brian accepted a challenge to lose weight for Aquabox. PPs Arthur Boyd, David Boyd and Bryan Johnston ‘volunteered’ to support him in the challenge. Club members sponsored them per lb lost! At their final “weigh-out” at the end of January 2011 a total of 29lbs had been lost which represents a generous donation to Aquabox.

Inner Wheel generously supported Belfast Rotary Club in this their 80th Anniversary Year, by purchasing one and filling almost two Aquaboxes. We are deeply grateful to President Ann and her members. Through Rotary’s partnership with the Methodist Container Ministry, those boxes were “on their way” within a few days of their collection from Inner Wheel.