Water for Life -- Volunteers work to provide wells for clean water in Haiti

A well that has been built in Haiti, above, serves an entire community. A new pump will be installed over the well, eliminating the need to use buckets to gather water. Using buckets to gather water from the well increases the chance of contaminating the entire water source. (Courtesy photo) [Click to enlarge]

"I haven't had the nerve to do it yet, but someday when I make a presentation to a group of people in a restaurant, I'd like to tell the waitress not to serve any water or tea. Nothing to drink. People would really complain, but maybe they would understand a little better why I'm doing this."

Those were the comments made by Chuck Larsen of Minden Tuesday at the McCook Rotary Club meeting at Country Kitchen. Mr. Larsen came to tell the group about the water well projects he has been working on in Haiti since 1984.

A semi-retired farmer from Minden, Larsen became involved with the projects after reading an article in the Omaha World Herald about Willis Miller. Miller was a well-driller from Kalona, Iowa, who started Water for Life, a non-profit organization whose focus was to drill wells for the people of the poverty-stricken country of Haiti. Larsen called up Willis and jokingly told him that someone from Iowa couldn't possibly know much about water shortages. Western Nebraska farmers were much more knowledgeable about how to make every drop count. "So he asked me to come along, and I did," said Larsen. He has been going back about every year since then.

Haiti is about 700 miles south of Miami. The country covers about 11,000 square miles with a population of more than 8 million. It is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Once a lushly forested tropical paradise, it has become barren for a number of reasons. In the 18th century, the French colony of Haiti was cleared of trees to grow sugar cane and coffee. In the 19th century, lumber companies harvested the forests. The Haitian people themselves, who use wood as their primary source of fuel, have contributed to the devastation.

With the loss of vegetation, flooding and erosion add to the catastrophic state of the country. According to a 2004 study by the Pan American Health organization, less than half the population of Haiti has access to potable water.

Larsen reported that in many rural areas, villagers would walk for miles just to gather a five gallon bucket of water. In some instances, the water that was gathered was really not fit to drink, certainly not to the standards of U.S. communities.

After many years of working with Water For Life, Larsen partnered with the Kearney Area Community Foundation to form Water 4 Haiti. He wanted to focus on supplying water for the Haitian island of La Gonave.

La Gonave covers about 287 square miles and is one of the most water scarce locations in the world. The population is about 150,000 and it is only accessible by boat. Even though it is only about 45 miles off the coast of mainland Haiti, the boat ride can be an all-day adventure, according to Larsen.

Larsen estimates that he has made about 25 trips to Haiti since his first trip in 1984. He plans to return in late July.

While there is political unrest in the country, Larsen describes the rural people as extremely generous. "When you go, you're treated like royalty. We took canned meat and such with us to eat. We only had to eat that once. The villagers made sure we were extremely well fed."

Larsen's 25-year commitment to Haiti started as the result of a newspaper article. Through presentations to civic groups and media coverage of his efforts, his hope is that others' will also feel the call to help.

Larsen can be reached at (308) 832-7404 or e-mailed to larsencn@gtmc.net.