| Updating you on our relief efforts in the Bahamas ▸ |
I wanted to give you an update on our work in the Bahamas. It’s now been two months since Hurricane Dorian bore down on the Bahamas, battering some islands for two long days. As soon as Dorian made landfall, life changed instantly for families on Grand Bahama Island and Abaco Island, the areas most severely damaged. Mercy Corps was on the ground in the Bahamas within the first days after the storm, and our team rapidly began to understand community needs and develop resources and partnerships to respond. Power was knocked out and vital community services like schools and clinics were left without resources, but what distressed us most was the lack of one life-sustaining necessity. We learned that over 200 wells across Grand Bahama Island had been flooded with seawater due to the storm surge, making water from the local aquifer unsafe for critical activities like cooking, drinking and hygiene. In situations like these, waterborne diseases also can spread easily, and wounds can go untreated, risking infection. That’s why we teamed up with Mission Resolve Foundation to increase access to clean water for those in need through the installation of a water treatment plant. This facility uses reverse osmosis to treat seawater and make it safe for drinking, cooking, bathing and other uses. Through this innovative technique, we’re able to provide water that meets the stringent standards set by the World Health Organization. 
Senior Water and Sanitation Advisor Mugur Dumitrache meets a truck with sanitation equipment for the water treatment plant to be installed on Grand Bahama Island. PHOTO: Mission Resolve Foundation
The water treatment plant now produces an estimated 7,500 gallons of clean water every day. It’s helping hurricane survivors save money on buying bottled water, and freeing up valuable room on aid vehicles delivering supplies. Mercy Corps has begun delivering safe drinking water from the system to several health facilities and to families and individuals through public tap stands at the Freeport YMCA and Salvation Army. Thousands of people across Grand Bahama Island have now been able to access safe, clean water reliably and continue the long road to recovery and rebuilding. One of our Bahamas field team members recently heard from a community member that that Mercy Corps is "providing the best water on the island," and "we drink it every day." Support like yours helps make these great steps towards recovery and relief possible. From Grand Bahama to places like Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Indonesia, thank you for your support of families and communities around the world recovering from disaster, conflict and other emergencies. Sincerely, 
Adrienne Karecki, Mercy Corps Chief Development and Marketing Officer |
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