New building blocks

The backwaters in Kerala are an absolute must see for anybody who comes to Kerala, even India. People do come from all around the world to see the magnificent ecosystems with all of the amazing bird life, incredible seafood, breath taking landscapes and the relaxed atmosphere created here and it's not difficult to see why this place is such a major attraction to people the world over. While you are cruising along in your houseboat along these tranquil waters you will see the local people out washing there clothes the kids having a swim and you give them a wave and a smile and you will no doubt get a vigorous one in return along with an ear to ear smile. They will seem like they don't have a care in the world and in some respects that may be true.

But once you get in to these people's lives you will discover there are some worry's to these villagers. You see the backwaters here are not just a massive tourist attraction, they are a livelihood and a life source for some many people who live not just around them but to the entire state. They are, and sometimes the only source of income that a family has out here to support themselves. A massive problem for these communities is that the water is constantly and continually being polluted by boats, but also human waste. A lot of these people do not have and can ill afford a toilet in their homes so the waters is the only option for some people.

Discarding of human waste in a waterway where people use it as a toilet, also to bathe, wash themselves and catch their food is needless to say an enormous health risk. Another problem is the in accessibility to get trucks into the areas to empty the latrines that people do have, which is an increasing and troublesome problem which has to be taken care of soon!!! The another problem that the family's are facing is that of lack of water, the water trucks that come every now and , are not reliable and do not provide safe drinking water for the family's.

So GVI Kerala has just been out to try and help, we have recently run a test project building a toilet for a lady named Babu, who did not have one in her home, also a water tank for Clarence and Leticia. This both have been incredibly rewarding projects and one where you are able to see an immediate result to the family's lives. Being in their homes eating with them, playing with the dog, the kids and (attempting) to make conversation has been an incredible experience and one not soon forgotten. Both of these projects should be up and running soon, we have a long list of people who need help and we know how much good work we can do here.

If your interested in the project keep an eye on the websitehttp://www.gvi.co.uk/ and call your local office.

Gvi Kerala xo

The backwaters of Kerala are an incredible sight to see, people from all over the world come to visit these magical waters and to have a look at the amazing flora and fuana that make these backwaters there home. You can take a cruise and get lost in the ambience and serenity of it all, and not have a worry in the world. The people living on the backwaters reley on these waters to live, it's the fish and prawns here that feeds them, the water to bath, wash their clothes, themselves

New building blocks