On Wednesday we went to the village of Chilapanahalli to kick off the first “Adopt A Village” program that was sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Haven.  This includes a donation of 50 water filters to the neediest families.  It also includes a paid community steward who lives in the village and is trained as a Bio Sand water filter technician who will help the families with the filter operations for one year.  It also includes a donation of water filters for the school and the child center, a bar of soap for each student, and education about basic sanitation issues.

Chilapanahalli was selected by a government rural development officer, Ibrahim Padbidri, as one of the neediest villages in the area.  The BPL (below poverty level) in India is 11,000 rupees a year (approximately $240).  More than ¾ of these village families live on half that amount per year!

It was truly a gala event.