Be sure to see my offer at the bottom of this post.
When I visited the NGO Agua Para La Vida (Water for Life; view a video) in Rio Blanco in June 2009 I was surprised to learn of APLV's technical school for potable water, Escuela Técnica de Agua Potable. ETAP, created in 1996, has a rigorous, 2-year curriculum to train young Nicaraguan men and women to become potable water technicians. The school director is a volunteer engineer from France (APLV's founder is a French engineer).
Last year, Amélie Morgaut, a young French engineer who directed the school, showed me around the school and exlained what they did. The students live at the school during the entire 2-year program. They study mathematics, physics, hydraulics, sanitation, writing, hydrogeology, cartography, water quality, hygiene, etc.
Here is the syllabus:
Download Planning ETAP 2010-2012
I was extremely impressed by what Amélie told and showed me. The best part about ETAP is that it is training Nicaraguans to address and solve their rural water and sanitation needs and problems.
The emphasis is on gravity-flow surface water systems. Amélie told me that they do study groundwater but don't have access to a drilling rig to teach the subject in detail and promote groundwater as a drinking water source. But she said they were encountering more places where gravity flow systems would not work and groundwater would have been a good alternative.
The funny thing was that just prior to my trip there, Alan McKay, good friend and former colleague at the Desert Research Institute, told me that DRI wanted to donate it LS-100 portable drilling rig to someone and asked if my foundation, the Ann Campana Judge Foundation,
was interested in it. I jumped at the chance and took it.
When I told Amélie about the rig, she expressed interest. Suffice it to say that the LS-100 is now en route to Nicaragua, donated by the ACJF.
Here is some promotional literature sent to me by the current instructors, Denis Barea and Cécile Santonja:
Download Presentation ETAP 05-2010_English
Download Presentacion ETAP 05-2010_espanol
The literature describes ETAP in detail and also solicits support. Note that it costs USD 8,000 to support a student for the entire 2-year program.
If you want to support ETAP,donate to APLV and specifiy that the donation is for ETAP. Your donation is US tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law (APLV is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit). [Note: the ACJF has supported several previous APLV projects, and is supporting one now.]
Bonus offer: I think ETAP is so worthwhile that I will put my money where my mouth is. If you make a donation (click on 'donation' for donation instructions) to my foundation (also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), I will personally match your donation (dollar for dollar) and send your entire donation and my 100% match to APLV earmarked for ETAP. I have set aside $5,000 for this matching program and the offer is good until 31 August 2010. Just tell me that you want your donation sent to ETAP.
“You make the road by walking on it” -- Nicaraguan proverb
Thanks, Kevin.
If you click on 'donation' in the last paragraph, the following link comes up:
http://www.acjfoundation.org/contributions.html
It has instructions for CC donations via PayPal and by check (made out to 'ACJ Foundation'):
ACJ Foundation
3359 NW Poppy Drive
Corvallis, OR 97330-3476 USA
Thanks again for your generosity and thoughtfulness.
Posted by: Michael | Thursday, 22 July 2010 at 04:31 PM
Hello,
I want to make a donation to support the ETAP, can you send me the information on how to do this through the Ana Campana Foundation, I'd like to take advantage of your "Bonus Offer".
Thanks in advance!
Kevin
Posted by: Kevin Kyle | Thursday, 22 July 2010 at 11:08 AM
I second this idea. Nicaragua (I was there this am) has LOTS of water but needs better sanitation (trash, toilets) management...
Posted by: David Zetland | Wednesday, 07 July 2010 at 04:30 PM